Massaran Bibi is the founder of Alliance for Research and Integrated Development (ARDI), an NGO dedicated to providing analysis, strategies for extractive sector governance and delivering gender-sensitive capacity building programmes. ARDI is committed to promoting the human rights and socio-economic empowerment of women and youth working in natural resources exploitation.
Massaran has worked since 2008 as specialist on natural resources and local development in the West African region. Most recently, she has led research on mining and social development in the Kayes region in Mali in her capacity as Project Manager with International Alert /GIZ for the “Gold Mining for Peace and Development Project”. This project aims to improve knowledge of conflict sensitivity business practice, the legal framework of the mining sector in Mali, and develop inclusive dialogue processes with working groups regarding local community development and peaceful strategies with gold mining companies. She has worked as expert consultant on the extractive sector and social development on behalf of international agencies including, GIZ, USAID, UNDP, World Bank, private mining companies and INGOs. Her research includes a scoping study for new artisanal diamond business models in Côte d’Ivoire and the preliminary study of artisanal and small-scale mining in Niger,publications include “Some Critical Reflections on the Future of Gold Mining in Mali”. She has strong experience in delivering research on gender dynamics in the extractive sector.
Massaran is currently a PhD Candidate at Surrey Business School, her research is on the dynamics of mineral resource management in conflict context. She also holds an MSc in international development from the University of Reading. Massaran is fluent in French and English.
