Click here to access Aminetou Mint El-Moctar's Oral History audio files.

Additionally, you can click here to access the accompanying time-coded summary of the interview. Full transcripts and other oral history materials are available at the British Library Sound Archive, London, United Kingdom, and at the WLP office in Bethesda, MD. For more information, please consult our Oral History Archive of the Global Women’s Movement Terms of Use. 

About the Interviewee* 

Aminetou Ely (Mauritania) is the President of the Association des Femmes Chefs de Famille (AFCF), which works to promote and defend the rights of women and children, support at risk women, fight violence against women, promote women’s leadership, and prevent the trafficking of women and children. The organization has worked on legislative reform to harmonize national law with international conventions. In addition, the AFCF works to create a network of organizations working on women’s economic empowerment issues and build inter-class women’s solidarity. AFCF’s work was awarded the French Republic’s 2006 Human Rights Prize for their work on social and civic empowerment of women; the US State Department’s 2010 Heroes in the Fight Against Modern Slavery Award; and the French Legion of Honor 2010 Medal of Chevalier.

Ely was shortlisted for the Nobel Peace prize 2015, making her the first Mauritanian ever considered for such distinction.

*This brief biography was recorded concurrently with the subject’s interview for the WLP Oral History Archive of the Global Women’s Movement.

About the WLP Oral History Project

The WLP Oral History Archive of the Global Women’s Movement preserves stories and lessons of women’s rights activists from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America who have left their mark on the struggle for women’s advancement. We have collected dozens of oral histories from 25 countries, and the project is ongoing. Since 2014, WLP has collaborated with the Sound Archive of the British Library to host the repository.

Read more ABOUT OUR ORAL HISTORY PROJECT.

Read our Oral History Archive of the Global Women’s Movement Terms of Use.