Ketakandriana RAFITOSON

Activist, Brainstormer, Change Agent, Concerned citizen, Connector

Dr Ketakandriana "Ke" Rafitoson is the Vice-Chair of Transparency International, the global coalition against corruption, and the Executive Director of Publish What You Pay, a global movement fighting for resource equity and climate justice. From and based in Madagascar, Ke has led the local chapter of Transparency International from 2018 to 2024. She is also an independent researcher - focusing her work on citizens-led movements and democracy-building and has co-founded several social movements in Madagascar and beyond. A TED Speaker in 2024, Ke is lecturing at the Catholic University of Madagascar and sits within the International Board of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) and within the Advisory Board of the African Women Against Corruption Network (AWACN). She holds a PhD in political science and another one in Sociology for Development. She's fond of cats and books and is the happy mom of four kids.

Social justice, People power (nonviolent civil resistance), and democracy. My own pathway has been shaped by the constant and burning desire to contribute to a better world, starting from my community in Madagascar.

The energy transition can’t be fair as long as the people who bear its costs and consequences are shut out of decision-making. Around the world, communities living closest to oil wells, gas fields, and mining pits have the least say in how resources are extracted, profits are distributed, and harms are mitigated. This injustice is only deepening as the race to secure “transition minerals” accelerates without adequate transparency, public oversight, or respect for rights. The movement I’m leading – Publish What You Pay - confronts this head-on and is transforming itself into a more powerful configuration in order to make more impact. Our newly-adopted 2030 Strategy sets out a clear vision: one in which societies are governing their natural resources in just and equitable ways in harmony with the planet. We believe that communities must not be bystanders in the energy transition - they must be its co-creators. By 2030, our idea is to see three main things happening: 1) Justice for all in the fossil fuel phase-out to renewable energy. 2) Equitable mineral governance within the natural limits of the planet. 3) The communities and civil society participating in decision-making on natural resources and the energy transition are able to use their voices powerfully and safely. For achieving our goals, we will emphasize movement-building and collective action. Because we can't do this alone. It’s about growing alliances - across borders, sectors, and generations - that are capable of shifting power. We will deepen partnerships with feminist, Indigenous, labour, and climate justice movements, recognising that their struggles intersect with our own. Our approach will be grounded in lived experience. We will amplify the voices of frontline activists and community leaders, and support their safety, leadership, and organizing. We will also invest in strategic litigation, advocacy, and campaigns that challenge impunity and drive systemic change. Internally, we are committed to transforming ourselves to meet this moment. We will decentralize power within our coalition, improve how we learn and share knowledge, and be more responsive to our members’ diverse realities. We will also mobilize resources to sustain bold and creative action, while remaining rooted in our values. In short, our idea - of which I'm one of many ambassadors, is a call to reclaim power in the energy transition. It is a roadmap for resisting extractive injustice and realizing a new kind of future - where the pursuit of cleaner energy does not reproduce old harms, but enables liberation, justice, and democracy.

Anti-corruption, Citizens-led movements, Civil resistance, Democracy, Energy transition, Global coalitions, Madagascar, People power, Social justice

In 2024, I was fortunate to be selected as a TED speaker, focusing my talk on citizen assemblies as a tool to (re)build democracy. I discovered a wonderful community which I'm very proud to belong to.

Knitting. That's how I cool down my nerves when needed.