Edna Adan Ismail is one of the most influential women in Africa today. A
talismanic figure whose life and work have inspired people all around the world. Her long career in public life, which has seen her making lasting contributions in the fields of health, peace building and foreign affairs, has been marked by an exceptional devotion to advancing the cause of women and children.
Awarded French Légion d’honneur (2011).
From Djibouti ‘Commandeur Dans l’Ordre National du 27 Juin’, (1997). Renfield Foundation Award for Global Women’s Health by the University of Pennsylvania.
Between 2000 to 2025. Honorary Doctoral Degrees in the USA from Clark University and also Pennsylvania University. In the UK from London South Bank University and Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians,
In Africa, awarded the Chancellor’s Gold Medal, Pretoria University, for my work on Human Rights, and an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Ahfad University for Women in the Sudan.
Templeton Prize awardee of 2023, Gusi Peace Price in 2025. Mother Teresa Guardians of Humanity Award also in 2025.
