By Ezera Ejigu (Tewedaj Media)
The life story of Mrs. Birhane Asfaw, one of the first women to graduate with a degree from Addis Ababa University, has been written and is ready for publication.
The book was prepared by Adhanom Mitiku and Yohannes Azmeraw, and it contains 122 pages.
Mrs. Birhane Asfaw is a human rights and women’s rights advocate who has traveled to more than 80 countries around the world and fought harmful traditional practices for 60 years. Living in Geneva, she has gained extensive experience throughout her life.
, Mrs. Birhane Asfaw, is known for her role in ensuring the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. In addition, she is recognized for her significant struggle to ensure the inclusion of provisions prohibiting harmful practices in the Maputo Protocol of the African Union.
Mrs. Birhane Asfaw founded the Inter-African Committee, which is recognized by the United Nations, in 1982 and served as its president.
It is also reported that for 27 years, across 28 African countries, she worked especially on raising awareness about female genital mutilation and succeeded in bringing about practical change.
In order to eliminate harmful traditional practices from their root causes, she worked by consulting and persuading African farmers, women, those who make a living by performing circumcision, religious leaders who preach that the issue is religious, and national leaders.
“The cornerstone of my life is my inability to accept injustice,” says Mrs. Birhane, explaining that her hatred of oppression from childhood is what led her to begin this struggle.
In her 2014 book titled Unbidden Pain, she recounts the harmful traditional practices and challenges she faced in her professional life.
Mrs. Birhane Asfaw gave birth to three children, all of whom have become internationally serving professionals in the field of engineering.
Mrs. Birhane’s husband, Engineer Terefe Raswork, passed away three years ago. His life story, titled “The Man from Ankober in Geneva,” was written by journalist Ezera Ejigu (Tewedaj Media) and was published in 2018.
Mrs. Birhane’s book is expected to be launched on Friday, January 2, 2026. at the Hilton Hotel, in the presence of distinguished guests.
It is also known that Mrs. Birhane Asfaw’s biography, prepared together with old photographs, was documented on tewedajewikipedia.com two years ago.
