Champion of Choice

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Champion of Choice

The Life and Legacy of Women's Advocate Nafis Sadik

Cathleen Miller

536 pages
28 photographs

Hardcover

March 2013

978-0-8032-1104-9

$34.95 Add to Cart
eBook (EPUB)
Ebook purchases delivered via Leaf e-Reader

March 2013

978-0-8032-4888-5

$34.95 Add to Cart
eBook (PDF)
Ebook purchases delivered via Leaf e-Reader

March 2013

978-0-8032-4683-6

$34.95 Add to Cart

About the Book

Not many women can claim to have changed history, but Nafis Sadik set that goal in her youth, and change the world she did. Champion of Choice tells the remarkable story of how Sadik, born into a prominent Indian family in 1929, came to be the world’s foremost advocate for women’s health and reproductive rights, the first female director of a United Nations agency, and “one of the most powerful women in the world” (London Times).

An obstetrician, wife, mother, and devout Muslim, Sadik has been a courageous and tireless advocate for women, insisting on discussing the difficult issues that impact their lives: education, contraception, abortion, as well as rape and other forms of violence. After Sadik joined the fledgling UN Population Fund in 1971, her groundbreaking strategy for providing females with education and the tools to control their own fertility has dramatically influenced the global birthrate. This book is the first to examine Sadik’s contribution to history and the unconventional methods she has employed to go head-to-head with world leaders to improve millions of women’s lives.

Interspersed between the chapters recounting Sadik’s life are vignettes of females around the globe who represent her campaign against domestic abuse, child marriage, genital mutilation, and other human rights violations. With its insights into the political, religious, and domestic battles that have dominated women’s destinies, Sadik’s life story is as inspirational as it is dramatic.

Author Bio

Cathleen Miller circled the globe to interview the sources for this book. Her previous work includes the international bestseller Desert Flower, a tale of female genital mutilation that has been translated into fifty-five languages and adapted as a feature film. Miller’s travel essays have appeared in numerous publications including the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, and the Los Angeles Times. She teaches creative writing at San José State University.

Praise

“Cathleen Miller’s Champion of Choice is a rigorous yet eloquent account of Dr. Sadik’s inspirational career, and a beautiful and long-awaited tribute to one of the greatest women’s advocates of the twentieth century. The issues to which Dr. Sadik has so passionately dedicated her life are becoming only more salient as our global community strives to protect both our people and our planet, and Dr. Sadik will certainly remain an invaluable and unequaled leader in this field for years to come.”—Ted Turner, UN Foundation Founder and Chairman and Founder of CNN

“Dr. Sadik’s invaluable contribution to improving maternal and child health deserves the gratitude of millions of people around the world.”—Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nations and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize

“Nafis Sadik is a great leader, one of the world’s most powerful women.”—Carolyn Maloney, U.S. congresswoman

"Nafis Sadik is a woman who set out to "change the world"—and in many ways she did just that."—Diane Brandley, New York Journal of Books

"Extensively researched, Miller's engrossing biography illuminates Sadik's formidable passion. . . . An indefatigable supporter, tenacious crusader, and powerful proponent of women’s autonomy, Sadik is a hero for all ages and genders."Carol Haggas, Booklist starred review

"The truly valuable biographies bring to our attention people whose exemplary lives have somehow escaped public notice. Dr. Nafis Sadik is this sort of person, and Champion of Choice is this kind of book."—Nick Taylor, On the Page

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations 
Introduction 
1. Birth 
Zadia Birru: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 
2. Welcoming the Girls 
Nargis Ansari: Bhanwargarh, India 
3. Azhar 
Chanti Prattipati: Berkeley, United States 
4. Karachi 
Dora Chemenu: Manhea, Ghana 
5. The Wedding 
Angela Karogo: Narok, Kenya 
6. Doctor's Orders 
Rubima Javed: Tetral, Pakistan 
7. Mothers 
Natasha Bankov: St. Petersburg, Russia 
8. Family Planning 
Vianca Ivonne Huerta Garcia: Mexico City, Mexico 
9. The <SC>un</SC> 
Ermelinda da Silva Ximenes: Tibar, East Timor 
10. The Director 
Juliana di Tullio: Buenos Aires, Argentina 
11. The Vatican 
Teresa Lanza: La Paz, Bolivia 
12. Cairo 
Mona Daoud: Cairo, Egypt 
13. Beijing 
Wang Lijuan: Beijing, China 
14. Back Home 
Sevdie Ahmeti: Pristina, Kosovo 
15. On The Ground 
Jintana Dahkling: Bangkok, Thailand 
16. Onward 
Epilogue 
Acknowledgments 
Notes and Sources 
Index 

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