Nawal El Saadawi draws on her epic life story and prolific writing in conversation with broadcaster Razia Iqbal

The internationally renowned writer Nawal El Saadaw; novelist, psychiatrist and fighter for women’s rights, was born in 1931, in a village outside Cairo, and wrote her first novel at the age of 13. Her many books have been translated into over forty languages and include titles such as Woman at Point Zero and Women and Sex, which was banned in Egypt for almost two decades. She reflects on the question of gender and the challenges posed for women within traditional and religious societies.                                           

Razia Iqbal is one of the main presenters of Newshour, the flagship current affairs programme on BBC World Service Radio. She also regularly presents The World Tonight on Radio 4. She reports from all over the world, most recently the US at the start of the Presidential election. She was the BBC's arts correspondent for nearly a decade. Until recently, Razia presented Talking Books, a half hour in depth conversation on BBC World TV with leading writers. It was for that programme that she last spoke to Nawal el Sadaawi in Cairo.

Part of Africa Writes, a vibrant programme of events showcasing the best new writing from across the continent and the Diaspora.

In association with the Royal African Society

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