Adeni Women's Club facts for kids

The Adeni Women's Club was a very important group for women in Yemen. It started in 1943 and was the first organization in Yemen to focus on women's rights. This club marked the beginning of the women's rights movement in the country.

How the Club Started

In the 1930s, many social clubs were created for men in Aden. However, most Yemeni women lived very private lives, often staying at home, a practice known as purdah or seclusion.

In 1943, the British Colonial Council helped create the Adeni Women's Club. They hoped this club would encourage Yemeni women to become more involved in public life.

At first, it was hard for Yemeni women to join because their families often didn't allow them. So, many early members were foreign women, like British, Indian, and Persian women. Persian women were noted for being some of the only Muslim women in Yemen at that time who appeared in public without a veil.

From Social to Political

Initially, the club was mainly a social place. It offered fun activities like English language lessons, English movies, and classes on handicrafts.

Everything changed in 1954 when Nabiha Hasan Ali became the first Yemeni woman to be elected President of the club. After this, most members were Yemeni women. The Adeni Women's Club then transformed from just a social group into a political one. It became very active in fighting for women's rights. It was the first political women's organization in Yemen.

Fighting for Women's Rights

The club organized discussions with important male thinkers and religious leaders to talk about women's rights. It also taught women about their rights and strongly supported their right to get an education and to work.

The club also took part in anti-colonial work. They held lectures and plays that supported Yemen's freedom from colonial rule.

A Bold Demonstration

In 1956, the Adeni Women's Club took a brave step to support women appearing unveiled in public. This idea came from Radhia Ihsan. At that time, most women still lived in gender segregation and could not go out without a veil.

When women were stopped from attending a concert by the famous Egyptian singer Farid al-Atrash in Aden, the club decided to act. Radhia Ihsan led a demonstration against the veil, which was also a protest against gender segregation.

Six women, without their veils, led a procession through the streets of Aden. About thirty other unveiled women followed them in cars. They went to the offices of the newspapers al-Ayyam and Fatat al-jazira. There, they gave a statement to the press. They said that the veil prevented women from taking part in public society.

The Club's End

After the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen was formed in 1967, all women's groups were banned. They were replaced by one single state-run women's organization called the General Union of Yemeni Women. This meant the Adeni Women's Club stopped existing.