Mboahangy “Fana” Rakotoarisoa is a Strategic Planning Officer in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) corrections component, a role that requires the highest level of qualification and entails great responsibility and regular interaction with senior national authorities.
Her skillset is extraordinarily diverse, ranging from building databases and designing monitoring and evaluation systems, to prison security and the prevention of violent extremism. Her initiatives have been key to making the Corrections Unit’s peacekeeping work more effective. By developing a database for activities of the Bamako Corrections Unit, she has made information retrieval, monitoring and updating more effective and efficient — leading to enhanced security.
Fana has also provided her prison security expertise to the Malian prison authorities and collaborated with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in the development of training programs on the prevention and fight against radicalization and violent extremism, making her a much-valued mentor and advisor to the Malian prison system.
She has been venerated by the Mali National Prisons Directorate for her professional contribution and is an immense source of inspiration to her national women counterparts.
Government-Provided Personnel
GPP are individuals like Fana who are nominated by their government to serve with United Nations peace operations. Justice and corrections GPP provide expertise that is generally only found in national government services, such as national prison services, the judiciary and prosecution. While most GPP provide advisory and capacity-building support to national counterparts, some GPP perform operational prison security functions.
United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilized Mission in Mali
MINUSMA is one of twelve United Nations peacekeeping operations. Established by the Security Council in April 2013, the Mission was mandated to support the political transition process and help stabilize the country.
The Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation is slowly being implemented, but much remains to be done. The human rights situation is precarious, mostly in the centre and north of the country, where extremist armed groups continue to harass and attack the local population and security forces. According to the 2022 Report of the Secretary-General, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Mali increased to 7.5 million in 2022.
MINUSMA has enhanced its effort to protect civilians and assist the Malian and defense and security institutions through operational support, training, mentoring, advising and capacity-building.
United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers
The first United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers recognizes the outstanding contribution of government-provided personnel in United Nations peace operations by highlighting women who blaze the trail in areas and roles traditionally reserved for men.
To learn more about the award, Click here.