Supporting Resilience Among Displaced Women and Girls in Mali
Through our Conflict Response Fund (CRF), we are providing women and girls the resources to combat food insecurity, achieve economic resilience, and achieve holistic healing as survivors of violence.
The Situation in Mali
Mali, a landlocked country in the Sahel in West Africa, is home to over 24 million people. Nearly half are under the age of 15. Terrorism, armed conflict, droughts, and political instability have created a dire humanitarian crisis. Poverty affects half of the population, with high unemployment rates in rural areas, particularly impacting women and girls.
Based on the 2020 Gender Inequality Index, Mali holds the 184th position globally. The prevalence of gender-based violence and female genital mutilation persists throughout the nation, with many women facing barriers to justice due to societal pressures and a lack of awareness about their rights.
As a consequence of the conflict, forced marriages were widespread, often serving as a cover for kidnappings and sexual violence. Survivors endure physical and psychological trauma but suffer in silence due to distrust in institutions, fear of reprisals, and community stigmatization. The security crisis since 2012 has led to the displacement of civilians, including women and unaccompanied children, who face challenges in securing shelter, food insecurity and the risk of violence.
To provide immediate assistance to the women and girls affected by conflict, Women for Women International is establishing our Conflict Response Fund (CRF) in Mali to partner with local organizations. Through our partnerships, we are providing support and resources to help women overcome the challenges they are facing.
Our CRF Partners
Yam Gitibolo Tumo (YA-G-TU)
“Support the economic resilience and recovery of IDP women and vulnerable women from their host communities affected by conflict in a context of climate change in Bandiagara, Mopti Region”
The Yam Gitibolo Tumo (YA-G-TU) works toward achieving peace and social justice for women and children, focusing on their rights, social, political and economic improvement.
Women for Women International has partnered with YA-G-TU to support the economic resilience and recovery of internally displaced women and girls and their host communities in the Bandiagara region that are affected by conflict.
Through our partnership, internally displaced families experiencing food insecurity received food assistance. Displaced women and young girls were also trained in income-generating activities. They were also provided with psychosocial care services and financial support to cover medical costs and the costs of judicial procedures for survivors of Violence Against Women (VAW).
Survivors of VAW received support through holistic management of VAW cases in the districts of Koro, Bankass, and Badiagara, including social development, health, and local services for women, children, families, and NGO partners operating in the same field.
Femmes et Développement (FEDE):
“Project of food security and protection to meet the needs of displaced and vulnerable women in Mopti Region (communes of Socoura et Sio) through a holistic community approach”.
We worked with Femmes et Développement (Women and Development) to address the needs of women in Mali’s Mopti region, including Mopti circle, Soucoura, and Sio communes.
Our focus was on serving internally displaced women in host communities and addressing psychological violence.
Through our partnership, we provided emergency food aid, resilience support, and cash distributions so these women could purchase gardening kits, small ruminants, and poultry. We also organized activities to combat the stigma surrounding psychological distress and mental health among VAW survivors. These activities engaged and involved local stakeholders in addition to the women we served.
Association Malienne pour le Suivi et l'Orientation des Pratiques Traditionnelles (AMSOPT):
“Project to combat food insecurity and gender-based violence of internally displaced and vulnerable women in Bamako and Mopti regions of Mali”.
We partnered with Association Malienne pour le Suivi et l'Orientation des Pratiques Traditionnelles (The Malian Association for the Monitoring and Orientation of Traditional Practices) to combat food insecurity and promote the elimination of VAW among internally displaced women in Mali. In conjunction with AMSOPT, we focused on serving women and girls in Bamako, where thousands of internally displaced people are located, as well as in Mopti, the capital of the central Mali region.
Our partnership involved several activities. First, a rapid assessment of specific food needs for beneficiaries will be conducted. We also supported the organization of a workshop and accountability committees focused on revitalizing communities where internally displaced persons are seeking asylum.
In partnership with AMSOPT, we participated in food distribution and purchasing for the beneficiaries. We trained community actors and leaders, including chiefs, religious leaders, elected officials, and technical service providers, to become advocates and supporters in preventing and responding to VAW in their communities.
To address the needs of women and girls, we purchased and distributed dignity kits containing essential items such as body soap, sanitary napkins, women’s underwear, combs, toothbrushes, and flashlights. Our partners also conducted awareness activities to provide training on VAW interventions.
Your donation will help provide women survivors of war a safe space for rehabilitation as well as medical care that includes psychological and gynecological consultations with doctors.