Afua Hirsch

Afua Hirsch
Born (1981-06-02) 2 June 1981
Stavanger, Norway
Ethnicity Mixed-Race
Occupation Journalist
Barrister
Human rights development worker

Afua Hirsch is a journalist, barrister and human rights development worker of Ashanti and English origin.[1] Born in Stavanger, Norway[2] to an English father and a Ghanaian mother, she grew up in England.[3] She is the Social Affairs and Education Editor for Sky News and was previously a correspondent for the British newspaper The Guardian. She has lived in England and Senegal, and served as The Guardian's West Africa correspondent.[3][4]

Early life

The daughter of an English father and an Ashanti mother originally from Ashanti, Afua Hirsch was born in Stavanger, Norway. She grew up in London.[3]

Career

Hirsch has worked in international development, law and journalism. She began working as a lawyer in criminal defence, public and international law. She then became a legal correspondent for The Guardian.[5]

In May 2013, Hirsch gave a moving speech on women under threat in Mali at the Oslo Freedom Forum. She spoke about women in Mali reporting accounts of sexual assault, gang rape and forced marriage.[6] In her concluding remarks, Hirsch raised the issue of the psychological scars women in Mali have been left with and asserted that these scars are the biggest threat facing Mali's future. Hirsch also participated in a panel discussion on women under threat that included Lebanese journalist Jenan Moussa, Finnish-Egyptian women's rights activist Soraya Bahgat and co-founder and assistant executive director of the Panzi Foundation USA Lee Ann De Reus. The panel discussion was moderated by BBC television Newsreader and journalist Philippa Thomas. [7]

Hirsch joined Sky News as their Social Affairs and Education Editor in early 2014.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Afua Hirsch – A star is born «". Operationblackvote.wordpress.com. 2010-09-10. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  2. ↑ Hirsch, Afua (26 May 2013). "What's it like being black in Norway?". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Afua Hirsch (2012-08-26). "Afua Hirsch: Our parents left Africa – now we are coming home". London: The Observer. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  4. ↑ "Afua Hirsch". London: The Guardian. 2008-09-16. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  5. ↑ "Afua Hirsch on human rights | British Institute of Human Rights". Bihr.org.uk. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  6. ↑ https://oslofreedomforum.com/speakers/afua-hirsch. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ↑ https://oslofreedomforum.com/talks/women-under-threat. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ↑ "Afua Hirsch". Sky News. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
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