Nahid Toubia
Encyclopedia
Nahid Toubia, born 1951 in Khartoum
, Sudan
, is a surgeon and women's health rights activist.
Toubia attended medical school in Egypt
. In 1981, she completed her surgical training in the United Kingdom
, becoming a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and the first female surgeon in Sudan. In 1985 she returned to Sudan, where she was head of Paediatric Surgery at Khartoum Teaching Hospital and set up her own emergency clinic, but within a few years she was forced to leave again by the country's political instability. She returned to the UK, and began her research into Female genital mutilation (FGM). From 1990, she worked for four years at the Population Council
in New York City
.
Toubia is the founder and president of Research, Action and Information Network for the Bodily Integrity of Women (Rainbo)
, an international organisation which works to eliminate FGM through women’s self-empowerment and social change. The organisation has offices in New York City and London
and works in Uganda
, South Africa
, The Gambia
, and Nigeria
. Rainbo played a prominent role in changing the view of FGM from being a predominantly medical concern to a human rights issue.
In 2002 Toubia told the BBC World Service
that the campaign against FGM was fundamentally about changing women's consciousness, and empowering them to change their social position. She said while most African governments, health professionals and NGOs
had the issue on their agenda, the greatest challenge was at grassroots level. She said "By allowing your genitals to be removed [it is perceived that] you are heightened to another level of pure motherhood - a motherhood not tainted by sexuality and that is why the woman gives it away to become the matron, respected by everyone. By taking on this practise, which is a woman's domain, it actually empowers them. It is much more difficult to convince the women to give it up, than to convince the men."
Toubia is an Associate Professor at Columbia University
School of Public Health. She sits on scientific and advisory committees for the World Health Organization
, UNICEF, and UNDP. She is Vice-Chair of the advisory committee of the Women's Rights Watch Project of Human Rights Watch
.
Toubia publishes on reproductive health, women's rights, and gender inequality, focussing on Africa
and the Middle East
. Her publications include "Female Genital Mutilation: A Guide to Worldwide Laws and Policies," "Caring for Women with Circumcision: A Technical Manual for Health Care Providers," "Learning About Social Change: A Research and Evaluation Guidebook Using Female Circumcision as a Case Study," and "Female Genital Mutilation: A Call for Global Action."
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, is a surgeon and women's health rights activist.
Toubia attended medical school in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. In 1981, she completed her surgical training in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, becoming a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and the first female surgeon in Sudan. In 1985 she returned to Sudan, where she was head of Paediatric Surgery at Khartoum Teaching Hospital and set up her own emergency clinic, but within a few years she was forced to leave again by the country's political instability. She returned to the UK, and began her research into Female genital mutilation (FGM). From 1990, she worked for four years at the Population Council
Population Council
The Population Council is an international, nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The Council conducts biomedical, social science, and public health research and helps build research capacities in developing countries. One-third of its research relates to HIV and AIDS; its other major program...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Toubia is the founder and president of Research, Action and Information Network for the Bodily Integrity of Women (Rainbo)
RAINBO
RAINBO - alternatively RAINB♀ - is an international non-governmental organisation working to eliminate female circumcision / female genital mutilation through women’s self-empowerment and social change.-Foundation and initial impact:RAINBO was founded in 1994 by a group of African immigrants...
, an international organisation which works to eliminate FGM through women’s self-empowerment and social change. The organisation has offices in New York City and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and works in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, The Gambia
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
, and Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Rainbo played a prominent role in changing the view of FGM from being a predominantly medical concern to a human rights issue.
In 2002 Toubia told the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
that the campaign against FGM was fundamentally about changing women's consciousness, and empowering them to change their social position. She said while most African governments, health professionals and NGOs
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
had the issue on their agenda, the greatest challenge was at grassroots level. She said "By allowing your genitals to be removed [it is perceived that] you are heightened to another level of pure motherhood - a motherhood not tainted by sexuality and that is why the woman gives it away to become the matron, respected by everyone. By taking on this practise, which is a woman's domain, it actually empowers them. It is much more difficult to convince the women to give it up, than to convince the men."
Toubia is an Associate Professor at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
School of Public Health. She sits on scientific and advisory committees for the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
, UNICEF, and UNDP. She is Vice-Chair of the advisory committee of the Women's Rights Watch Project of Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
.
Toubia publishes on reproductive health, women's rights, and gender inequality, focussing on Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Her publications include "Female Genital Mutilation: A Guide to Worldwide Laws and Policies," "Caring for Women with Circumcision: A Technical Manual for Health Care Providers," "Learning About Social Change: A Research and Evaluation Guidebook Using Female Circumcision as a Case Study," and "Female Genital Mutilation: A Call for Global Action."