How women reduce maternal mortality in Somaliland | Edna Adan Ismail | TEDxAmsterdamWomen

Edna has devoted her whole life to advancing women's rights, specifically in her home country Somaliland. In this talk she shares the idea on how to help that land educate women in health care for men, women and children.

She especially addresses how female genital mutilation maims the female body and how it complicates the birthing of children. It's a practice that can and should be abolished by our combined efforts. In 2002 Edna Adan Ismail became the firstever female cabinet minister in Somaliland. She’s been the Minister of Foreign affairs and Social development of Somaliland and worked for the UN and WHO. Though first and foremost, she states herself, Edna is a midwife. She has devoted her whole life to improve maternal healthcare in Somaliland and to abolish female genital mutilation (FGM). Somalia has the highest rate of FGM in the world, with the procedure carried out on up to 98 percent of women. In 2002 Edna opened the Edna Adan Maternity Hospital in Hargeisa. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at