Aoua Keïta

Mali's first female physician and a pioneer in advocating for women's health and education in West Africa.

Aoua Keïta (1912–1983) was Mali's first female doctor and a trailblazer for women's rights in Francophone Africa. Born in Bamako, French Sudan (now Mali), she defied cultural norms by pursuing medical studies in Paris, becoming the first Malian woman to graduate from the University of Paris in 1946 with a degree in medicine. Her work focused on improving maternal health and combating gender-based violence in rural areas.

Upon returning to Mali, Keïta founded the Centre de Santé Maternelle et Infantile in Bamako, Mali’s first maternity hospital. She also established free clinics for rural women, training midwives to reduce high maternal mortality rates. Her advocacy led to the creation of the Union Nationale de la Femme Malienne (UNFM) in 1961, Mali’s first national women’s organization.

Keïta’s political influence grew when she became a member of Mali’s National Assembly in 1960 and later served as Minister of Social Affairs. She pushed for laws banning forced marriages and FGM, though these reforms faced resistance from traditional leaders. Her memoir, La Voie de la Justice, details her struggles and achievements. She also collaborated with French feminists like Simone de Beauvoir to globalize African women’s issues.

Despite her prominence, Keïta’s contributions were often overshadowed by male leaders during Mali’s post-colonial era. Her legacy is preserved in the Aoua Keïta Foundation , which continues her work in women’s healthcare. Her advocacy for education remains relevant today, as Mali still ranks among the lowest in global gender equality indices.

Her life is chronicled in Aoua Keïta: Médecin et Femme de Lettres, a biography by Oumar Keïta , and her writings are archived in the UN Women archives . Keïta’s dual focus on healthcare and political empowerment set a precedent for African feminist movements.