On Thursday evening, physician and social worker Umyma El-Jelede (54) was awarded the European Tolerance Prize for Democracy and Human Rights by the city of Villach. The jury praised her exemplary commitment to girls and women from African and Arabic-speaking communities, stating that her work promoting intercultural understanding, education, and social integration is essential for the cohesion of a pluralistic society.
Umyma El-Jelede, originally from Sudan, practiced medicine and surgery in Libya before being forced to flee for political reasons in 2004. After three years in a Caritas shelter in Vienna, she was granted asylum in Austria. From 2007 onward, she developed a counseling service for women from countries affected by female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) at the FEM Süd women’s health center. For her dedication and resistance against FGM/C, she received, among other awards, the Austrian Federal Sports Organization’s Human Rights Prize (MiA Award 2014).
The Sudanese-born Umyma El-Jelede practiced medicine and surgery in Libya before being forced to flee for political reasons in 2004. After three years in a Caritas shelter in Vienna, she was granted asylum in Austria. The acronym FGM/C stands for “Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting,” which the World Health Organization (WHO) considers a serious human rights violation due to its severe physical and psychological consequences for affected girls and women. It refers to the partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia or other injuries to the female genitalia for non-medical reasons.
Umyma El-Jelede is a health consultant and FGM/C expert who leads various projects at the FEM Süd Women’s Health Center in Vienna. She gives lectures, workshops, and training courses for Arabic-speaking and African women and girls. She also conducts FGM/C training and continuing education for professionals in medicine, nursing, social work, early childhood education, midwives, and for the Austrian Armed Forces, specifically the Vienna Military Hospital.
Further photos from the award ceremony are available for download on the photo service.
Video of the award ceremony: www.youtube.com/live/1ZDXl85w3io
