Aneesa Ahmed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aneesa Ahmed
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| އަނީސާ އަހްމަދު | |
Ahmed in 2013
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| Born | 29 September 1949 |
| Alma mater | Pennsylvania State University |
| Known for | Women's rights activist Deputy Speaker of the People's Majlis Deputy Minister of Women's Affairs |
Aneesa Ahmed (born September 29, 1949) is a well-known women's rights activist from the Maldives. An activist is someone who works hard to bring about political or social change. Aneesa has dedicated her life to making sure women and girls are treated fairly and kept safe. She has served in the Maldivian government and has received international awards for her bravery and hard work.
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A Champion for Women's Rights
Aneesa Ahmed has spent many years fighting for the rights and safety of women in her home country. Her work has helped bring important issues into the open and has inspired many people.
Education and Early Career
Aneesa's journey to becoming a leader began with her education. From 1985 to 1986, she studied at Pennsylvania State University in the United States as a Humphrey Fellow. This fellowship is a special program that brings leaders from around the world to the U.S. to study and share ideas.
After her studies, she returned to the Maldives and began working in the government. She served as the Deputy Minister of Women's Affairs. In this role, she bravely talked about the problem of violence in the home. At the time, this was a topic that people did not discuss publicly, but Aneesa knew it was important to address it to protect women.
A Voice in Parliament
From 2004 to 2009, Aneesa Ahmed was the Deputy Speaker of the People's Majlis, which is the parliament of the Maldives. The parliament is where laws for the country are made. As Deputy Speaker, she had an important leadership role and could help shape the country's future.
Activism and Hope for Women
After leaving the government, Aneesa continued her important work. She started a non-governmental organization (NGO) called "Hope for Women." An NGO is a group that works to help people and is not part of the government.
Through Hope for Women, Aneesa led meetings with police officers, students, and community members. In these meetings, she taught them about gender-based violence, which is any kind of harm done to someone because of their gender. Her goal was to raise awareness and help create a safer society for everyone.
Aneesa also spoke out against a harmful traditional practice that affected girls' health. When some religious scholars on the national radio said that this practice was supported by Islam, she asked the government to step in. She publicly explained the dangers of the practice to protect young women.
Awards and Recognition
Aneesa's courage and dedication have been recognized with several major awards.
- In 2012, she received the International Women of Courage Award from the United States. This award honors women around the world who have shown great leadership and bravery in fighting for peace, justice, and women's rights. She was the second woman from the Maldives to ever receive this honor.
- On July 26, 2013, the president of the Maldives, Mohamed Waheed Hassan, gave her the Order of Izzuddin. This is one of the highest honors a person can receive in the Maldives, given for outstanding service to the nation.
