Prominent foe of female circumcision wins prestigious $1.4 million Templeton Prize

The Templeton Prize — one of the world's largest annual individual awards — is being awarded this year to a nurse-midwife who for decades has strived to improve women’s health care in East Africa. Among her other distinctions, Edna Adan Ismail is a prominent and outspoken critic of female circumcision, arguing that it is harmful to women and against the teachings of Islam. Ismail also is the founder of a hospital and university which have significantly reduced maternal mortality in Somaliland. The Templeton Prize is valued at nearly $1.4 million. It was established in 1973 by investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton. Ismail is the first African woman to win the prize.