Fartuun Abdisalaan Adan (Somali: Fartuun Aadan, Arabic: فرتون آدن) is a Somali social activist. She is the executive director of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre.

Fartuun Adan
فرتون آدن
Adan in 2015
Born
OccupationActivist
TitleExecutive Director of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre
SpouseElman Ali Ahmed
Children4: Almas, Ilwad and Iman

Personal life

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Adan grew up in Somalia. She was married to Elman Ali Ahmed, a local entrepreneur and peace activist.[1][2] The couple had four daughters.[2]

In 1996, during the height of the civil war, Adan's husband was killed near the family's home in southern Mogadishu.[2] Adan subsequently emigrated to Canada in 1999.[1]

In 2007, she returned to Somalia to advocate for peace and human rights.[1]

On November 20, 2019, local authorities confirmed her daughter Almaas Elman, who had also returned to Somalia as an aid worker, had been shot and killed in a car, near the Mogadishu airport.[3]

Career

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Adan is the executive director of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre, a Mogadishu-based NGO established in honour of her late husband.[4] She serves as the organization's Executive Director, while their daughter Ilwad works alongside her.[5]

Through the center, she also co-founded Sister Somalia, the country's first program for assistance of victims of sexual violence.[1]

Awards

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In 2013, Adan was presented an International Women of Courage Award from the United States Department of State.[4]

In 2014, she also received an award from the government of Germany for her work with the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre.[6]

Fartuun Adan, together with her daughter Ilwad Elman was among the finalists nominated for the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity in 2017.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Nima Elbagir; Lillian Leposo (5 August 2013). "Rape and injustice: The woman breaking Somalia's wall of silence". CNN. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  2. ^ a b c "Documento - Somalia: Amnistia Internacional condena el asesinato de un pacifista". Amnesty International. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  3. ^ Abdi Latif Dahur (2019-11-20). "'May God have mercy on her': Somali-Canadian aid worker shot dead in Mogadishu compound". National Post. Retrieved 2019-11-22. Elman comes from a prominent family of activists whose work has focused on social justice, women's rights and rehabilitating children affected by Somalia's decades-long war.
  4. ^ a b "2013 International Women of Courage Award Winners". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Canadian sisters on front lines of rebuilding Somalia". Hiiraan. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  6. ^ "SOMALIA: Government Weekly Press Conference on the Progress". Gaafo. 6 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  7. ^ Aurora Prize. 2017 finalists.
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