Sarah Bibler

Sarah Bibler is the International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ (IFES) South Asia senior program manager. With over a decade of experience in nonprofit work, Bibler manages IFES programs in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Nepal.

Since joining IFES in 2013, Bibler has contributed to a variety of technical assistance projects, including implementing IFES’ She Leads women’s leadership program across five countries; supporting numerous election management bodies in the development of their strategic plans; training civil society organizations on strategies for countering hate speech in electoral environments; and promoting democratic engagement of young leaders. In addition to working from IFES headquarters, Bibler managed field operations in Sri Lanka and has provided in-country support to IFES programs in Ukraine, Nepal and India.

Bibler’s IFES publications include assessments of Violence Against Women in Election in Afghanistan, the Gender Impacts of COVID-19 in Pakistan and a practical guide on Gender Equality and Election Management Bodies. She has also presented at numerous international conferences, including UN Women’s “Women in Public Life” event and an International Political Science Association (IPSA) workshop on “Gender and Nationalism.”

Prior to joining IFES, Bibler worked at a nonprofit organization, Gender Action, that focused on the analysis of and advocacy around the gender impacts of development loans on women and men in low-income countries. While there, Bibler coordinated advocacy trainings for an international network of over 100 civil society organizations and authored numerous research reports.

Bibler holds a bachelor’s degree in international affairs from the University of Richmond and a master’s degree in international development from the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.