Isatou Touray (politician)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Touray at a conference in Geneva (2017)

Isatou Touray (born March 17, 1955 in Bathurst , British Gambia ) is a Gambian politician and women's rights activist. Touray is particularly committed to the abolition of female genital mutilation practices .

In September 2016, she announced that she would be the first woman in the Gambia to run for president, but withdrew in November 2016 in favor of joint opposition candidate Adama Barrow . She has been the Gambian Vice President since June 29, 2018 .

Life

Youth and education

Isatou Touray was born on March 17, 1955 in the capital Bathurst (now Banjul ) of the then British colony of Gambia. She attended various elementary schools in the city, first the Albion School and Wesley Primary School, and later the Crab Island Secondary Technical School. After finishing school, she first worked as a teacher and at the same time studied family economics and English at Gambia College .

After completing her university education, Touray worked as a teacher and development worker in the Gambia. Touray later studied pedagogy and English at Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto (Nigeria) as well as a master's degree in development studies with a focus on gender at the Institute of Social Studies of the Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Hague and with a Commonwealth scholarship from 1999 to 2003 at the University of Sussex .

Professional activities

Touray at a conference in Brazil (2006)

Touray has been actively working for women's rights in the small West African country for years. She campaigned against violence against women and in particular for stronger women's rights. She is also co-founder and managing director of the organization GAMCOTRAP , which campaigns against female genital mutilation in the country. Together with Amie Bojang-Sissoho , who also works for Gamcotrap, she was arrested on October 11, 2010 on charges of embezzlement of EUR 30,000 and detained in Mile 2 prison . The government had previously taken massive action against Gamcotrap. In the trial, which lasted until November 2012, they were defended by Amie Bensouda .

Touray was also the organizer of the One Billion Rising campaign in West Africa (Gambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Sierra Leone).

Political activity

In September 2016, she announced that she would be the first woman in the Gambia to run for the office of President. After seven opposition parties agreed on the candidate Adama Barrow , Touray withdrew her candidacy in his favor in November 2016. On February 2, 2017, she was sworn in as Gambian Trade Minister in the Barrow government .

With a larger Cabinet reshuffle on June 29, 2018, she was Minister of Health and Welfare ( English Minister of Health and Social Welfare ).

By 28 February 2019 gave the Ministry of Women Affairs ( Ministry of Women's Affairs ) (under Ousainou Darboe ) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare ( Ministry of Health and Social Welfare ). These were restructured as of March 1, since then leads Fatou Sanyang Kinteh the Ministry of affairs of women, children and social affairs ( Ministry for Women Affairs, Children, and Social Welfare ). Touray's responsibility for social affairs was thus withdrawn.

On March 15, 2019, Ousainou Darboe was removed from the position of vice-president in a small cabinet reshuffle. Touray was appointed vice-president and gave up the ministerial office.

family

Touray is married and has four children with her husband Alagie Malang Touray.

Web links

Commons : Isatou Touray  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Who Is Dr. Isatou Touray, The Independent Presidential Candidate For 2016 Elections? (No longer available online.) Fatu Network, September 2, 2016, archived from the original on November 11, 2016 ; accessed on November 13, 2016 .
  2. ^ Association of Commonwealth Universities .: Directory of Commonwealth scholars and fellows, 1959–2009. Association of Commonwealth Universities, 2009, ISBN 978-0-85143-195-6 .
  3. ↑ Two Prominent Gender and Human Rights Defenders detained in The Gambia: Dr. Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang Sissoho. African Feminist Forum, October 18, 2010, accessed January 15, 2019 (American English).
  4. ↑ Gamcotrap's Isatou Touray, Amie Bojang freed. Retrieved January 15, 2019 .
  5. ↑ ISATOU TOURAY - THE GAMBIA. (No longer available online.) One Billion Rising, archived from the original on November 13, 2016 ; accessed on November 13, 2016 .
  6. ↑ Dr. Isatou Touray: Gambia: Isatou Touray Endorses The Coalition's Flag Bearer Adama Barrow. In: Freedom Newspaper. November 4, 2016, accessed November 13, 2016 .
  7. ↑ Ismail Akwei: Political prisoners among 10 ministers sworn-in by Gambia's president. In: Africa News. Retrieved February 2, 2017 .
  8. ↑ Gambia: Updated Version of the Cabinet Reshuffle Press Release! In: Freedom Newspaper. June 29, 2018, accessed August 26, 2019 .
  9. ↑ Pa Nderry Mbai: Gambia: vp Darboe lot Women's Affairs Portfolio; as Barrow Appoints Fatou Sanyang Kinteh. In: Freedom Newspaper. 2019, accessed on March 2, 2019 .
  10. ↑ Lamin Njie: Barrow Sacks Darboe, Sanneh, Dibba. In: fatunetwork.net. March 15, 2019, Retrieved March 17, 2019 (American English).
personal data
SURNAME Touray, Isatou
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Gambian politician and women's rights activist
DATE OF BIRTH March 17, 1955
PLACE OF BIRTH Bathurst , British Gambia