Category: Women / Girls

Ilhan Omar – First Somali-American Elected to U.S. Congress : November 2018

Ilhan Omar (aka) Ilhan Abdullahi Omar – American politician serving as U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional district since 2019.

Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar

First/s:

  • First Somali-American elected to U.S. Congress (November 06th, 2018)
  • First of two Muslim women elected to U.S.Congress (November 06th, 2018). The other candidate being Rep. Rashida Tlaib
  • First Woman of colour to hold elective office for Minnesota

Education:

  • BA – North Dakota State University

Book:

Memoir : ‘This is what America looks like : My journey from Refugee to Congresswoman’

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American / Somali-American

Taleedah Tamer, Saudi Arabia’s First Couture Model

Taleeda Tamer, Jeddah based Kingdom’s first fashion model.

Made history in July 2018 as the first Saudi model to walk the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. Opened for the Italian designer Antonio Grimaldi couture show at ‘Salons France-Amerique’ in Paris.

First’s :

  • First Saudi model to walk a couture runaway in Paris
  • First Saudi model to be on the cover of an International magazine ‘ Harper’s Bazaar Arabia ( Jul/Aug 2018)
  • Featured as one of two Saudi’s to be selected as one of the ‘100 New Wave Creatives’ by the British Fashion Council

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Saudi Arabia

Shatha Hammad Wins ‘One World Media New Voice Award ‘ : June 2020

Shatha Hammad – Local and young Journalist with the Middle East Eye (MEE) wins the ‘One World Media New Voice Award’ .

The Jury recognised her ability to ‘illuminate political and social issues’ in the West Bank.

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West Bank, Palestine

Tunisia’s ‘National Dialogue Quartet’ Wins Nobel Peace Price : October 2015

The Quartet of Tunisian General Labour Union (UGGT), The Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH) and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers were awarded the Nobel.

Winner of Nobel Peace Prize for helping building pluralistic democracy in Tunisia.

pix: abc.net.au

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Tunisia

Zeinab Badawi – International TV Personality of the Year – 2009

Zeinab Badawi , Journalist , Presenter, News Reader – TV and Radio

Currently with : BBC

Programs

  • World News Today / HARD Talk / GMT / BBC News at Five

Awards :

  • International TV Personality of the Year (2019) by Association of International Broadcasters
  • President’s Medal of the British Academy (2018)

Other Positions :

  • Adviser to the ‘Foreign Policy Centre’
  • Council Member ‘Overseas Development Institute’
  • Chair – Royal African Society – 2014
  • Trustee – National Portrait Gallery – 2004
  • Trustee – British Council
  • Advisory Board Member – ‘New College of the Humanities’

Founder & Chair :

  • Africa Medical Partnership Fund (AfriMed)

Education:

  • Bachelors – Philosophy, Politics and Economy – St. Hilda’s College, Oxford – SOAS, University of London
  • M.A – Politics, Anthropology – School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), University of London -1989
  • Honorary Doctorate of Letters – SOAS – 2011
facebook.com

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British / Sudanese-British

Arab Space Scientist : Diana AlSindy

Diana AlSindy – Rocket Scientist. Propulsion Development Engineer.

Designs propulsion pressurant systems for rockets at private space agency Virgin Orbit.

Founder – @TheArabianStargazer ‘The Arabian StarGazer’

Promotes STEM to Arab youth from all over the world. Bi-lingual.

pix: brookeowensfellowship.org

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American / Iraqi-American

Tawakkol Karman , First Arab Woman Nobel Peace Laureate (and Youngest) – 2011

Tawakkol Abdel-Salam Khalid Karman, Yemeni Journalist, Politician and Human Rights Activist.

Earned nicknames in Yemen ‘Iron Woman’ (aka) ‘Mother of the Revolution’

Nobel Peace Prize :

  • co-winner . Tawakkol Karman along with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leyman Gbowee were the co-recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize 2011

First/s :

  • First Female Arab to win the Nobel Peace Prize
  • Youngest Person to win the Nobel Peace Prize
  • First Yemeni to win the Nobel Peace Prize
  • Second Muslim Woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize

Awards, Others:

  • Social Entrepreneur of the Year – The Asian Awards (2019)
  • Awarded 1st Position ‘Top 100 Global Thinkers’ – by Foreign Policy (2011)

Other/s :

  • Member – International Advisory Board of the MBI Al Jaber Media Institute, Yemen
  • Member – Yemeni Journalists Syndicate
  • Content oversight in charge : Facebook (2020)

Co-Founder :

  • Women Journalists Without Chains

www.tawakkolkarman.net/en

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Taz Governorate, Yemen / Turkey

Ahdeya Ahmed First Female President of Bahrain Journalist Association (BJA) : November 2019

Ahdeya Ahmed Al-Sayed , Bahrain – TV personality and Journalist, has many firsts to her credit.

Deputy Editor-in-Chief , for the english language ‘Daily Tribune’

First/s :

  • First female President of Bahrain Journalist Association (BJA)
  • First Arabian Gulf Woman to be elected member of ‘The International Federation of Journalist (IFJ) Gender Council’.

Other/s :

  • Winner – Arab Woman of the Year Award for the category ‘Achievement in Journalism’ 5th edition – by The London Arabia organisation
  • Member – Bahrain’s International Federation of Journalists Gender Council

Assignments :

  • Spokesperson of the Government of Bahrain
  • Spokesperson- Bahrain Human Rights Watch
  • Official Spokesperson for the ‘ Bahrain Parliamentary Election’ (2006)

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Bahrain

Halima Aden, First fully covered American Muslim Teen Contestant in Miss. Minnesota US : 2016

Halima Aden is the first american muslim teen to wear a hijab in the Miss. Minnesota USA pageant.

Supermodel, activist and humanitarian

First’s:

  • First woman to wear a hijab in the Miss. Minnesota USA pageant.
  • First contestant to wear a burkini and a hijab
  • First hijab wearing model featured on the covers of Vogue Arabia, Allure and British Vogue
  • First Somali-American to participate in student government in college
  • Crowned first Muslim Homecoming Teen, St.Cloud’s Apollo High School, Minnesota

Honours :

  • UNICEF Ambassador, to support UNICEF’s mission to put children first ( July 2018).

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American / Somali-American

Nadia Mohamed elected ‘Council Member’ of St. Louis Park (MN) USA : November 2019

Nadia Mohamed was elected as ‘Council Member’ of the St.Louis Park City, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA. She has many firsts to her credit .

Firsts :

  • The City Council’s first Somali elected member
  • The City Council’s first Muslim elected member
  • The City Council’s first Woman of colour elected member

Award:

  • St. Louis Park Human Rights Award (2018)

Profile:

  • Member – St. Louis Park Multicultural Advisory Committee
  • Volunteer – St. Louis Park High School’s High Achievement Program

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American / Somali American / Somalia