Naha Mint Mohamed Lemine Ould Seyyidi (c. 20th century – July 24, 2021) was a Mauritanian journalist. She was considered the first woman to work in media in Mauritania.[1][2]
Biography
editSeyyidi was born in Boutilimit, Mauritania. She was an autodidact, having no formal higher education.[3]
She was considered a pioneer among women journalists in Mauritania and among Arab women journalists in the region as a whole.[1] When the country's national radio broadcaster was launched as the country gained independence around 1960, she became the first woman to work for the station. She later became the first woman to host a television news show in the country.[4][5]
Her younger sister, Khadaja, was also an early female journalist in the country. The sisters both worked for the French-language broadcaster Journal Télévisé en Français, though Seyyidi also broadcast in Arabic.[3][6][5] As a broadcaster, she was an influential voice during Mauritania's post-independence political turbulence.[7]
She was a member of Mauritania's Higher Council of Women beginning in the 1960s.[8] She was also the honorary president of the Mauritanian Union of Women in Media.[9] In 2020, the organization launched the Naha Mint Seyyidi Competition for Women's Issues in Media.[2]
Awards and honors
editSeyyidi was honored in 1967 by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba, and President of the United Arab Emirates Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. In 1977, during ceremonies celebrating Mauritania's independence, the first Mauritanian President Moktar Ould Daddah honored her with the Independence Medal.
In 2002, she received a lifetime achievement award from the Mauritanian government.
References
edit- ^ a b Marsaud, Olivia (2001-11-19). "La Mauritanie au féminin". Le Nouvel Afrik (in French). Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ^ a b "الإعلان عن إطلاق النسخة الأولى من مسابقة "الناها منت سيدي" للإعلام وقضايا المرأة | وكالة التواصل". Tawasoul (in Arabic). 2020-07-30. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ^ a b "Naha MINT SEYYIDI". Maurifemme (in French). 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ^ "M. MOHAMED SAID OULD HAMODY À L'OCCASION DU CINQUANTENAIRE DE L'INDÉPENDANCE: "L'obstacle majeur au moment de l'indépendance, c'était le manque d'infrastructures de base"". Agence Mauritanienne D'information (in French). 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ^ a b "La femme mauritanienne fortement présente dans le secteur de la presse, 20 ans après Beijing" (PDF). Femmes et Médias au Maghreb (in French). 2015.
- ^ Barrada, Mohamed Fouad (2020-03-04). "Visages de femmes mauritaniennes". La Tribune (in French). Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ^ "Naha Mint Seyidi : La speakerine qui a fait échouer le coup d'Etat de Kader". CRIDEM (in French). 2012-11-03. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ^ Daddah, Mokhtar Ould (2003). La Mauritanie contre vents et marées. Karthala Editions. ISBN 2811137653.
- ^ "L'Union des femmes des médias de Mauritanie organise une cérémonie d'hommage pour certaines personnalités". Agence Mauritanienne D'information (in French). 2018-02-11. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ^ Bamba, Oumlbenina Mint (2021-07-24). "Mauritanie: Décès de Naha Mint Seyidi, la reine de la télévision locale..." Senalioune. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ "Le Bureau Exécutif du SJM présente ses condoléances suite au décès de la Doyenne Naha Mint Seyidi". Alwiam info (in French). 2021-07-24. Retrieved 2022-07-20.