Asha Haji Elmi ( so, Caasha Xaaji Cilmi, ar, عائشة حاجي علمي) (born 1962) is a Somali politician and peace activist. As of August 2012, she is a former member of the Federal Parliament of Somalia.

Background

Elmi was born in 1962 in

Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...

. She hails from the Saleebaan sub-clan of the

Habar Gidir The Habar Gidir (Somali: Habar Gidir, Arabic: هبر جدير) is a major subclan of the Hawiye. The clan has produced many prominent Somali figures, including the first Prime Minister of Somalia Abdullahi Issa Mohamud and Somalia's fifth Presid ...

.THE OFFICIAL LIST OF THE NEW MEMBERS OF SOMALI PARLIAMENT IN 2012-2016
For her post-secondary education, Elmi earned a degree in economics from the

Somali National University Somali National University (SNU) ( so, Jaamacadda Ummadda Soomaaliyeed, ar, الجامعة الوطنية الصومالية, it, Università Nazionale Somala) is a national university in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Its campus grounds w ...

. She also holds a

Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accoun ...

from the US International University. Elmi is married to Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid, a prominent entrepreneur and the former

Prime Minister of Somalia This is a list of prime ministers of Somalia. The prime minister of Somalia ( so, Ra'iisul wasaaraha Soomaaliya) is the head of government of Somalia. There have been 22 official prime ministers since the office was created in 1956. The first p ...

Career

Peace activism

In the 2000s, Elmi formed the Sixth Clan women's movement to advance female participation in Somali politics. She was later selected to the

Transitional Federal Parliament The Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic (TFP) ( so, Golaha Shacabka Federaalka Kumeelgaarka ee Jamhuuriyada Soomaaliya; often ''Baarlamaanka Federaalka Soomaaliya'') was the national parliament of Somalia from 2004 until 2012. ...

(TFP) on August 29, 2004, and served until 2009. Elmi is also the founder of Save Somali Women and Children (SSWC), created in 1992 during the height of the

Somali Civil War The Somali Civil War ( so, Dagaalkii Sokeeye ee Soomaaliya; ar, الحرب الأهلية الصومالية ) is an ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the military junta which was led by Siad Bar ...

. Additionally, Asha has been acknowledged internationally for her activism against

female circumcision 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 ...

(FGC) in Somalia and in other areas. She frequently travels to college campuses and universities around the world giving speeches about local political conditions and the effects of FGC.

Federal Parliament

In August 2012, Elmi was selected as a legislator in the Federal Parliament of Somalia.

Awards

Elmi has received numerous awards for her peace work. In 2008, she became a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award "for continuing to lead at great personal risk the female participation in the peace and reconciliation process in her war-ravaged country". In September 2009, she was also among five nominees that were presented the Clinton Global Citizen Award.

References

External links

WAPPP Fellow, profile at Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

2009 Clinton Global Citizen Award Honorees Announced by President Clinton

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elmi, Asha Haji 1962 births Living people Members of the Federal Parliament of Somalia Somalian feminists Somalian women's rights activists Somali National University alumni 21st-century Somalian women politicians 21st-century Somalian politicians