Oral history interview with Nafis Sadik, 2002
Members of the Columbia University community may log in here to access this content.
Terms of Use: The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the reproduction is not to be used for any purpose other than your own private study, scholarship, or research. Any subsequent copying, downloading or distributing materials accessed by you in the Columbia University Libraries Digital Libraries Collection that are subject to copyright protection may constitute copyright infringement. In addition, Columbia University Libraries may employ technical measures to prevent any further copying, downloading, or distribution of the materials. A violation of these terms may subject you to potential liability for copyright infringement. For more information about copyright, fair use and permissions, refer to Columbia University Library’s Copyright Advisory Services at https://copyright.columbia.edu, and the Copyright & Permissions for Online Exhibitions & Digital Collections.
- Name
- Sadik, Nafis (Interviewee)
- Jolly, Richard (Interviewer)
- Title
- Oral history interview with Nafis Sadik, 2002
- Abstract
- Early years: Raised in Calcutta; 1946 enters Calcutta Medical College; moved to Dehli, Pakistan; 1947 transfers to Dow Medical College Karachi; intern at Baltimore City Hospitals under Truman's Point IV program; 1951 graduates medical school. Career: Mid-1950's family planning for poor women in Abbotobad, Pakistan; studies public health at Johns Hopkins University through USAID grant; Planning Com mission in Pakistan; 1965 Director of Family Planning in the Family Planning Council; 1971 hired at UN Population Fund (UNFPA); 1987 Executive-Director of UNFPA. Themes: population and development studies with NGOs and universities; first studies financed with UN on maternal mortality for World Health Organization (WHO); reduces maternal mortality and illegal abortions through family planning programs; conflict with US government; abortion and forced sterilization policies in China; first woman head of a UN organization; advocate of better organization, less fragmentation, and more transparency in UN; concerns about global, environmental over-consumption and population stabilization; struggle with Vatican over 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo; frames women's health as human rights issue at Cairo Conference; World Bank adjustment policies; gender dynamics in UN culture and research; believes individuals and outside agencies shape UN policy and reform
- Collection Name
- United Nations intellectual history project (UNIHP)
- Subjects
- Population--Economic aspects; Economic development; Non-governmental organizations; Mothers--Mortality--Developing countries; Family planning--Political aspects; Population policy--Religious aspects; Women's health services; Human rights; Structural adjustment (Economic policy); Sadik, Nafis; United Nations Officials and employees; United Nations History; United Nations Population Fund; World Bank; International Conference on Population and Development Cairo, Egypt) (1994
- Format
- oral histories; sound recordings
- Genre
- Interviews
- Date
- 2002
- Note (Biographical)
- Executive-Director of UN Population Fund
- Note
- Interviewed by Richard Jolly on May 20 and May 21, 2002
- Note (Provenance)
- Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, Gift, 2009
- Language
- English
- Library Location
- Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
- Catalog Record
- 13685154
- Persistent URL
- https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-c838-z572
- Related URLs
- Available digital content for this interview.