Egyptian Feminist Union facts for kids
The Egyptian Feminist Union (Arabic: الاتحاد النسائي المصري) was the first big group in Egypt that worked for women's rights. It helped change things for women across the country.
Contents
History of the Egyptian Feminist Union
The Egyptian Feminist Union (EFU) started on March 6, 1923. It was founded at the home of Huda Sha'arawi, a famous activist. She was the first leader of the EFU and stayed in charge until she passed away in 1947.
Before becoming the EFU, the group was called the Wafdist Women's Central Committee in 1920. It was connected to a political party called the Wafd Party. The EFU was created because women felt their rights were not important enough in Egypt's fight for independence.
What the EFU Wanted to Achieve
The main goal of the EFU was to get full rights for women. Some of their key demands included:
- The right for women to vote.
- Better education for girls and boys.
- Changes to family laws.
- Improved healthcare for women and children.
They shared these demands in their magazines, L'Egyptienne (starting in 1925) and al-Misriyyah (The Egyptian Woman) (starting in 1937).
EFU's Successes and Challenges
The EFU had some big successes. Egypt gave women the right to vote in 1956, thanks to their efforts. In 1925, the government made primary education required for both girls and boys. Later, women were allowed to attend the national university for the first time.
However, the EFU did not succeed in changing all family laws. They wanted to stop men from divorcing their wives without the wife's agreement. They also wanted to end polygamy, where a man can have more than one wife. These changes did not happen.
The EFU also wanted Egypt to be fully independent from the United Kingdom. They supported European social ideas and believed in a secular (non-religious) government.
The EFU was connected to an international group called the International Alliance of Women. In 1923, the EFU sent people to a meeting of this group in Italy.
Working with Other Arab Women
The EFU helped organize a meeting called the Eastern Women’s Conference for the Defense of Palestine in Cairo. Huda Sha'arawi suggested that women's groups in Arab countries should form an umbrella organization. In December 1944, the EFU held the Arab Women's Congress in Cairo. This meeting officially created the Arab Feminist Union (AFU).
After Huda Sha'arawi passed away in 1947, Doria Shafik was expected to lead the EFU. But instead, she started her own group called the Bint Al-Nil Union in 1948. This group also worked for women's rights, focusing on social progress. In 1951, Doria Shafik brought together 1500 women from the EFU and Bint Al-Nil Union. They marched and stopped parliament for four hours with their demands for women's rights.
The EFU Under President Nasser
When Gamal Abdel Nasser became president of Egypt, the EFU saw some of its demands met. Women gained the right to vote in 1956. Nasser also created more equal chances for women in education and jobs.
However, the EFU became less independent under Nasser's government. In 1956, his government officially ended the EFU as an independent group. It was turned into a government-run charity called the Huda Sha'arawi Association. A new law in 1964 made it hard for groups not connected to the government to demand political rights.
The EFU Since 2011
After the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, the EFU started again. It became a non-profit, non-governmental organization with its original name but new goals. Many women's groups worked together during the revolution.
Today, the EFU works to raise awareness about women's issues. They do research and use technology to help solve these problems.
Notable Members
Nabawiyya Musa
Nabawiyya Mohamed Musa Badawi (1886–1951) was a very important person for women's education in Egypt. She was also a founding member of the Egyptian Feminist Union. She was the first woman in Egypt to finish high school in 1907. Later, she became the first female school principal from 1924 to 1926. She also worked as the chief inspector for women's education.
Nabawiyya Musa strongly believed in women's right to work and get an education. She spoke at the International Woman Suffrage Alliance conference in Rome in 1923. She famously returned from Rome without her veil, along with Huda Sha'arawi and Saiza Nabarawi. Her book Woman and Work argued that women should be able to work in many different jobs, not just teaching or midwifery.
Amīnah al-Saʿīd
Amīnah al-Saʿīd (1914-1995) was an Egyptian journalist, scholar, and feminist. She played a big role in the Egyptian Feminist Union. From a young age, she did not want to wear the veil. As a teenager, she joined the youth part of the EFU. She was one of the first women to study at Cairo University, getting a degree in English literature in 1935.
Amīnah al-Saʿīd was the editor for the EFU's Arabic magazine, al-Misriyyah. Later, she edited the EFU's second magazine, Hawaa (Eve), from 1954 to 1969. This magazine was very popular in Egypt and other Arab countries. Throughout her career, she always spoke out against veiling traditions and family laws. She worked in journalism until she retired in 1984.
Saiza Nabarawi
Saiza Nabarawi (1897-1985) was an Egyptian journalist, nationalist, and a founding member of the Egyptian Feminist Union. She grew up in Paris and Alexandria before moving to Cairo. There, she met Huda Sha'arawi, who became her mentor.
Huda Sha'arawi made Saiza Nabarawi the editor of the EFU's French magazine, L'Egyptienne, in 1925. Through this magazine, Nabarawi wrote about women's rights and Egypt's fight for independence from British rule until 1940. She also gave speeches and wrote a lot about veiling and women's freedom. In 1951, Saiza Nabarawi started the Women's Popular Resistance Committee, continuing her work for women's rights.
See also
In Spanish: Unión Feminista Egipcia para niños
- Feminism in Egypt
- List of women's rights organizations
