Isatou Touray (born 17 March 1955) is a Gambian politician, activist, and social reformer. A noted campaigner against

female genital mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision, is the ritual cutting or removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. The practice is found ...

(FGM), she became the first female Gambian presidential candidate in 2016, before dropping out to endorse

Adama Barrow Adama Barrow ( ff, 𞤀𞥄𞤣𞤢𞤥𞤢 𞤄𞤢𞥄𞤪𞤮, Aadama Baaro, born 15 February 1965) is a Gambian politician and real estate developer who has served as President of the Gambia since 2017. Born in Mankamang Kunda, a village ...

and

Coalition 2016 Gambia Coalition 2016, was a coalition of seven Gambian political parties, civil society groups and one independent candidate created to field and support a unity candidate for the Gambian opposition in the 2016 Gambian presidential election. The ...

. She then served in Barrow's cabinet, as trade minister, and then as health minister. On 15 March 2019, Touray became

Vice-President of The Gambia The vice president of the Republic of The Gambia is the second highest political position in the Gambia. The office was created in April 1970, with the passing of the republican Constitution of the Gambia following the republic referendum. The ...

, replacing her predecessor,

Ousainou Darboe Ousainou Darboe (born 8 August 1948) is a Gambian politician and lawyer who serves as the National Assembly Minority Leader since April 2022. He previously served as Vice-President of the Gambia and Minister of Women's Affairs from June 2018 t ...

in a major cabinet reshuffle.

Early life and education

Touray was born at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Bathurst, Colony of the Gambia, in 1955. She was brought up at 44 Grant Street in Bathurst, which was renamed Banjul in 1975. Her father was a native of Kaur. She attended Crab Island Secondary Technical School and was noted as a good athlete during her school days. Touray attended Usman Danfodiyo University in

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, graduating with a bachelor's degree in education and English. She then studied at the

International Institute of Social Studies The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam is an independent and international graduate school of policy-oriented critical social science. ISS was established in 1952 by Dutch universities and the Neth ...

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, where she graduated with a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

development studies Development studies is an interdisciplinary branch of social science. Development studies is offered as a specialized master's degree in a number of reputed universities around the world. It has grown in popularity as a subject of study since the e ...

. She completed a PhD in development studies at the Institute of Development Studies,

University of Sussex , mottoeng = Be Still and Know , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £14.4 million (2020) , budget = £319.6 million (2019–20) , chancellor = Sanjeev Bhaskar , vice_chancellor = Sasha Roseneil , ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

Career

Social activism

Touray is noted as an activist against

(FGM). She co-founded the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP) in 1984, which is committed to ending FGM. She became executive director of GAMCOTRAP, frequently calling on politicians to outlaw FGM, despite government restrictions on reporting of the issue. In a 1998 symposium, religious leaders and medical personnel came together to sign the Banjul Declaration, which condemned the use of FGM. From 2006 to 2011, Touray was chairperson of the Gambia Chapter of the

West Africa Network for Peacebuilding The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) is a leading Regional Peacebuilding organisation founded in 1998 in response to civil wars that plagued West Africa in the 1990s. Over the years, WANEP has succeeded in establishing strong national n ...

(WANEP). She served as Secretary-General of the

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children The Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (IAC) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) which seeks to change social values and raise consciousness towards eliminating female genital mutilatio ...

from 2009 to 2014. She also worked as deputy director of the Management Development Institute (MDI), where she founded a gender and development unit. However, she was forced to resign after repeated threats from authorities. She was twice arrested and accused on false charges, both times these were eventually dropped. The second time, she was only released after paying a €36,000 bail.

2016 presidential election

Touray announced that she would run as an Independent candidate in the 2016 presidential election on 2 September 2016. She became the first woman to run for President of the Gambia. During her announcement ceremony she said that, if elected, she would only serve a five-year term. Amie Bojang Sissoho chaired the meeting, and among the speakers were her husband and

Fatoumata Tambajang Aja Fatoumata C.M. Jallow-Tambajang (born 22 October 1949) is a Gambian politician and activist who served as Vice-President of the Gambia and Minister of Women's Affairs from February 2017 to June 2018, under President Adama Barrow. Early in h ...

. Her candidacy was supported by the Vanguard Africa Foundation. Touray said that, if elected, she would "restore the sovereignty of the people, end impunity and decentralise authority and power." Opposition parties decided to form an electoral coalition to support one candidate in the election against

Yahya Jammeh Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (born 25 May 1965) is a Gambian politician and former military officer who was the leader of The Gambia from 1994 to 2017, firstly as chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) from 199 ...

. Touray was initially part of the group that formed

, but was absent in their meeting on 30 October 2016 when delegates chose

as the candidate. However, on 4 November she announced her support for Barrow and withdrew from the race. Barrow subsequently won the 1 December election.

Ministerial career

Touray was appointed as Minister of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment in the Cabinet of Adama Barrow on 1 February 2017. In a July 2018 reshuffle, Touray was appointed as Minister of Health and Social Welfare.

Personal life

She is married to Dr Alhaji Malang Touray, a physician. They have four children and three grandchildren.

Recognition

* Women's Democracy Network's 2017 Jeanne J. Kirkpatrick Award

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Touray, Isatou 1955 births Living people Vice-presidents of the Gambia Gambian women activists Gambian feminists Government ministers of the Gambia People from Banjul Usmanu Danfodiyo University alumni Alumni of the University of Sussex 21st-century Gambian women politicians 21st-century Gambian politicians Women government ministers of the Gambia Women vice presidents