Who is Edna Adan Ismail?

Edna Adam Ismail, a groundbreaking woman, is an activist, nurse, and midwife, and was the first female Foreign Minister of Somaliland between 2003 and 2006. She strongly advocated for women’s rights and girls’ health, specifically for the abolition of female genital mutilation (FGM). Today, she is 86 years old.

(photo from The Church Times)

When Ismail was just 8 years old, she underwent FGM, and ever since, she has been determined to prevent other women from experiencing similar trauma. In order to combat this health crisis and also to create a space where babies could be delivered in a way safe for both the child and mother, Ismail founded the Edna Adan Maternity Hospital on 9 March 2002.

This hospital has significantly reduced maternal mortality in Somaliland. Her maternity hospital emphasizes the importance of midwife and nurse training and education (it has an entire wing dedicated to this). This is because Ismail once commented, “I doubt I would have had the courage or the ability to speak out against FGM if I had not trained as a nurse.”

In honor of her work, Ismail received The Templeton Prize, which came with an award of 1.1 million British pounds as well. She was the third Muslim, fifth woman, and first African woman to be awarded the prize since its establishment in 1973. Moreover, according to the Templeton Foundation, the award is believed to be the largest international prize won by an individual African woman.

According to the World Health Organization, over 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Advocates for abolishing FGM, such as Ismail, are so important because it is a violation of human rights and a form of gender violence. Together, if we learn from inspirations like Ismail, we can make a difference in women’s health.