Ubah Ali | |
---|---|
Born | 1996 (age 27–28) |
Education | University of Stirling American University of Beirut |
Occupation | Somali activist |
Awards | BBC's 100 Women List |
Ubah Ali (born 1996) is a social activist and feminist from Somaliland, who campaigns against female genital mutilation. In 2020, she was listed by the BBC as one of the world's most influential 100 Women. [1]
Ali was born in 1996 in Burco in the Toghdeer region of Somaliland. [2] Her parents are both primary school dropouts: her father worked as a cab driver until he had a stroke in 2012, and her mother used to sell clothes. [3] It was her mother who encouraged Ali's education and for her to apply for scholarships. [4] She studied at the Abaarso School of Science and Technology from 2011 and left there in 2015. [5] She then moved to Miss Hall's School and graduated from there in 2016. [6] As of 2019, she was studying for a BA degree in Politics and Human Rights at the American University of Beirut. [2] Her undergraduate study is funded by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. [3] Whilst studying there, she also tutors Syrian refugees. [5]
In 2015, aged 18, Ali established an organization called Rajo: Hope for Somaliland Community with the aim of providing educational opportunities for orphans and under-privileged students from Somaliland. [6] This was inspired by work she undertook at the Hargeisa Orphanage Centre, between 2012 and 2015, where she tutored students. [6] In 2015 she also fundraised for communities in Somaliland affected by drought. [5]
In 2020, Ali became more widely known due to her campaigning against female genital mutilation (FGM) in Somaliland. [2] In 2018 she founded the Solace for Somaliland Girls Foundation, which aims to end the practice through education and awareness campaigns. [2] The group established the first anti-FGM group in Somaliland as a result. [4] Whilst many Somali people associate FGM with Sharia, Ali alongside doctors and a growing number of religious leaders believe it to be a cultural phenomenon, which can be altered. [2] Ali, as well as her three sisters, are survivors of FGM. [2]
In 2020, Ubah Ali was part of the BBC’s list of the 100 most influential women in the world. [7] [8]