Emily Bisharat facts for kids

Emily Bisharat (died 2004) was a very important Jordanian lawyer and activist. She is famous for being the first female lawyer in Jordan! Emily also helped many people and charities. She started a group called the Arab Women's Union in the 1950s. She worked hard to make sure women in Jordan could vote. She also spoke up for the rights of Palestinian people around the world.

Early Life and Learning

Emily Bisharat grew up with two sisters. Her family came from a city in Jordan called Salt. When Emily was young, she really wanted to become a lawyer. However, her father thought that women in Jordan should only be teachers.

Emily went to the Ramallah Friends School. Later, she studied English at the Syrian-Lebanese College. In the 1930s, Emily worked as a teacher, just as her father had wanted.

At that time, women in Jordan were not legally allowed to inherit money or property. So, when Emily's father passed away, he left all his money to his nephews, not to his daughters. Emily saved up her own earnings from teaching. She then used this money to go to law school. She finally earned her law degree from London Metropolitan University.

Her Work and Activism

Becoming a Lawyer

After Emily got her law degree, she started working as a lawyer in Jordan. She became a member of the Jordan Bar Association (JBA), which is a group for lawyers. She was even on their council twice! Emily stayed active in the lawyers' group meetings and elections for most of her life.

Fighting for Women's Rights

On June 17, 1954, when Emily was 41 years old, she started the Arab Women's Union. This group was very important for women in Jordan. At the first meeting, 800 women came, and they chose Emily to be their President.

Later in 1954, the union sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Jordan. They asked that women be allowed to vote and run for government jobs. For several years, the union worked to help more women learn to read and write. They also fought for women to have the right to vote in Jordan. They encouraged women to use all their political rights.

However, in 1957, the Arab Women's Union had to close. This happened because the government put in place special rules called martial law. This meant the government was very strict with political groups and unions.

Helping Palestinian People

Emily Bisharat cared deeply about the rights of Palestinian people. After many Palestinians had to leave their homes in 1948 (an event known as the Nakba), Emily traveled to the United States. She gave talks and lectures there to explain the situation and ask for help for Palestinian rights. She also wrote articles for a magazine called Alraed. She used a special pen name, Bin Al Urdon, which means "Daughter of Jordan."

Giving Back to the Community

Emily Bisharat was also a philanthropist, which means she gave a lot of her time and money to help others. In 1948, she opened an orphanage for Palestinian children. An orphanage is a home for children who don't have parents. In 1953, she helped start the first nursing school in Jordan.

A writer named Suhair Tal said that Emily was very smart about her charity work. Emily knew that people in her society might not like it if a woman was too political. So, she "turned her ideas into charity programs as a way to be accepted by society." This helped her make changes while also being seen as a helpful person.

Her Legacy

Emily Bisharat passed away in 2004. She left all her money, which was about 500,000 Jordanian Dinars (around $700,000 US), to different charities and the church. She also gave her library, sewing machine, printer, and even her eyeglasses to the Sisterhood Is Global Institute (SIGI). This shows how much she wanted to keep helping others, even after she was gone.

See also

In Spanish: Emily Bisharat para niños