About
Gisèle Halimi, born Zeiza Gisèle Élise Taïeb in 1927 in La Goulette, Tunisia, was a lawyer and feminist activist. After studying law and philosophy in Paris, she became a lawyer in 1948. She defended emblematic causes: Djamila Boupacha (1960), the Bobigny trial (1972) for abortion, and rape victims (1978). Co-founder of Choisir la cause des femmes (1971), signatory of the Manifeste des 343, she contributed to the legalization of abortion in France. Deputy from 1981 to 1984, ambassador to UNESCO (1985-1987), she campaigned for parity. She died in 2020 in Paris.
* 1927-07-27 — † 2020-07-28
Major works
- Djamila Boupacha (1962)essay
- La cause des femmes (1973)essay
- Le lait de l'orangermemoir
- Une farouche liberté (2020)interviews
Key milestones
- 1960Defended Djamila Boupacha, an Algerian militant tortured and raped by French soldiers.
- 1972Secured the acquittal of Marie-Claire Chevalier in the Bobigny trial, contributing to the evolution of abortion laws.
- 1981Elected deputy for Isère in the National Assembly, serving until 1984.
Themes
FeminismJusticeAbortionSexual violenceParity
Sources: guides.loc.gov · archivesportaleurope.net