Egyptian author Nawal El Saadawi is a worldwide legend. Imagine…visits her home in Cairo and travels with her to the village where she was born. She is as outspoken and hilarious today at 85 as she ever was: she is a force of nature.
Nawal El Saadawi is famed as a pioneer in the fight against female genital mutilation, which she herself was subjected to. She has published over 50 novels, memoirs and studies of women’s oppression - translated into many languages and winning numerous international awards.
Nawal El Saadawi relives her magical, though difficult, childhood in a village by the Nile in the 1930s, her work as a doctor there in the 1950s, her years high up in the Ministry of Health, and later in prison under President Sadat. She was on the frontline in Tahrir Square when Egypt rose against President Mubarak in 2011. Today she fronts a forum in her name where the issues she has championed all her life are discussed by crowds of young Egyptians.
In this episode of imagine… Nawal El Saadawi addresses some of the world’s biggest challenges in a surprising and personal way.
Written by TomSouthwell on Feb 6, 2017