Berhane Ras-Work

Berhane Ras-Work (born c.1940) is an Ethiopian anti-FGM activist. She was the founding President of the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (IAC).^[1]

Life

Born Berhane Asfaw, into a Christian Ethiopian family, she attended a European-run primary school and at the age of fifteen went to boarding school in Addis Ababa. She gained a BA in education at the Jesuit University.^[2] After marrying a US-trained engineer, Terrefe Ras-Work, she accompanied her husband to Geneva in 1970.^[3] She gained a MA in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of Development Studies in Geneva.^[4]

A television program "started her thinking" about female genital mutilation, and what could be done to raise consciousness and confront the issue.^[3] In 1977 diplomats and activists living in Geneva founded the NGO Working Group on Traditional Practices Affecting the Heath of Women and Children. This was a precursor to the IAC, which was founded in 1984. Ras-Work was elected the first IAC President at the inaugural meeting in Dakar.^[5]

In 1995 Berhane Ras-Work received the United Nations Population Award.^[4] In 2010 she was awarded the Grand Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria.^[6]

Works

(ed.) Traditional practices affecting the health of women and children in Africa: report on a seminar. Dakar: Ministry of Public Health, 1978
'Female genital mutilations', Voices from Africa, No. 4, pp. 89–96
'Violence against women as a traditional practice', in Yvonne Preiswerk and Mary-Josée Burnier, eds., Tant qu’on a la santé: Les déterminants socio-économiques et culturels de la santé dansles relations sociales entre les femmes et les hommes, Genevalie: Graduate institute publications, 1998
the unbidden pain. Janus publishing co, 2014. ISBN 978-1857568097

References

^ Hoskins, Irene (1998). "Speaking out: An interview with Berhane Ras Work, president, the inter-African committee". Ageing International. 24 (4): 85–97. doi:10.1007/s12126-998-1027-4. S2CID 72664194.
^ Myriam Meuwly, Les gens: Berhane Ras-Work, la voix des Africaines, Le Temps, 2 June 1998. Accessed 14 December 2020.
^ ^a ^b Claude E. Welch, Jr. (1995). Protecting Human Rights in Africa: Roles and Strategies of Nongovernmental Organizations. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 94. ISBN 0-8122-1780-2.
^ ^a ^b George C. Denniston; Marilyn Fayre Milos, eds. (2013). Sexual Mutilations: A Human Tragedy. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 227. ISBN 978-1-4757-2679-4.
^ Saida Hodzic (2017). The Twilight of Cutting: African Activism and Life After NGOs. Univ of California Press. pp. 19–20. ISBN 978-0-520-29199-7.
^ Berhane Ras-Work, Convenor of the WG on Violence against Women and Girls receives highest Austrian award, NGOCSW, April 26, 2010. Accessed 14 December 2020.

External links

IRIN interview with anti-FGM activist Berhane Ras-Work, The New Humanitarian, 9 February 2004.

[1] Hoskins, Irene (1998). "Speaking out: An interview with Berhane Ras Work, president, the inter-African committee". Ageing International. 24 (4): 85–97. doi:10.1007/s12126-998-1027-4. S2CID 72664194.

[2] Myriam Meuwly, Les gens: Berhane Ras-Work, la voix des Africaines, Le Temps, 2 June 1998. Accessed 14 December 2020.

[Welch1995-3] Claude E. Welch, Jr. (1995). Protecting Human Rights in Africa: Roles and Strategies of Nongovernmental Organizations. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 94. ISBN 0-8122-1780-2.

[DennistonMilos2013-4] George C. Denniston; Marilyn Fayre Milos, eds. (2013). Sexual Mutilations: A Human Tragedy. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 227. ISBN 978-1-4757-2679-4.

[Hodzic2017-5] Saida Hodzic (2017). The Twilight of Cutting: African Activism and Life After NGOs. Univ of California Press. pp. 19–20. ISBN 978-0-520-29199-7.

[6] Berhane Ras-Work, Convenor of the WG on Violence against Women and Girls receives highest Austrian award, NGOCSW, April 26, 2010. Accessed 14 December 2020.

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