About
Huda Shaarawi (1879-1947) was a pioneer of Egyptian feminism. Born into a wealthy family, she was educated in French and Arabic. Married at 13, she continued her studies before dedicating herself to women's rights. In 1908, she co-founded the first secular philanthropic organization run by women. During the 1919 revolution, she led women's demonstrations. In 1923, she founded the Egyptian Feminist Union and publicly removed her veil, a major symbolic act. She launched the magazine L'Égyptienne and represented Egypt at international congresses. In 1944, she convened the first Arab feminist conference and became president of the Arab Feminist Union.
* 1879-06-23 — † 1947-12-12
Major works
- Mudhakkirātī (1986)memoir
- Harem Years: The Memoirs of an Egyptian Feminist (1986)memoir (translation)
Key milestones
- 1923Founded the Egyptian Feminist Union and publicly removed her veil at Cairo's train station.
- 1925Launched the feminist magazine L'Égyptienne.
- 1944Convened the first Arab Feminist Conference.
Themes
feminismEgyptian nationalismwomen's rightsgirls' educationpersonal status law reform
Sources: britannica.com · catdir.loc.gov