Mariama Jobarteh

Mariama Jobarteh is a Gender advocate and consultant specialized in addressing Sexual and Gender-Based violence against women and girls of African Descent. As the founder of FANTANKA – a word from the Mandinka tribe in The Gambia, meaning self-protection. With FANTANKA established in The Gambia and FANTANKA Diaspora in Scotland, Mariama leads gender transformative and community-led initiatives for the organization, leading educational programs about harmful-cultural practices and uplifting vulnerable and marginalized groups.
Mariama’s leadership at FANTANKA has been transformative, using gender-sensitive, culturally appropriate, and trauma-informed approaches to empower women and young people. She creates safe spaces where individuals, particularly victims of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, can heal, grow, and reclaim their rights without fear of judgment or stigma as well as provide them with the tools they need to rebuild their lives. Mariama has been selected as an Aspen Global Innovators Group Impact West Africa Fellow. Through this Fellowship, she will leverage Aspen Global Innovators network, resources, and collaborative opportunities to amplify advocacy efforts, enhance community-led programs, and develop innovative, culturally sensitive strategies to prevent and address sexual and gender-based violence across African and diaspora communities.