Kvindelig Fremskridtsforening facts for kids

The Kvindelig Fremskridtsforening (KF), also known as the Women's Progress Association, was a Danish group for women. It was started in 1885 by two important women, Matilde Bajer and Elisabeth Ouchterlony.

Matilde and Elisabeth had also helped start the Danish Women's Society in 1871. But they wanted a new group that would focus on a very specific goal: getting women the right to vote. This was called women's suffrage. The older Women's Society did not focus on politics or voting rights. The KF also worked on other important issues. They wanted women to be involved in peace efforts. They also supported women working outside the home.

What Was the Women's Progress Association?

The Kvindelig Fremskridtsforening (KF) was a women's organization in Denmark. It was founded in 1885. The main goal was to fight for women's right to vote. This included voting in local and national elections.

Why Was KF Formed?

The founders, Matilde Bajer and Elisabeth Ouchterlony, felt a new group was needed. They wanted a group that would directly work for women's voting rights. The existing Danish Women's Society did not focus on this political issue.

Other Goals of KF

Besides voting rights, KF also cared about other things. They wanted women to be active in working for peace. They also supported women having jobs and being part of the workforce.

Important Events and People

In 1888, the KF organized a big meeting. It was called the Nordic Women's Movement meeting. This event took place in Copenhagen. It was held during the Nordic Exhibition of 1888.

The Nordic Women's Meeting

Johanne Meyer helped a lot with this meeting. It was open to both men and women. About 700 people attended. They came from Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. This showed how important the topic of women's rights was becoming.

Who Were the Members?

Only women could be members of the KF. Many members came from left-wing political groups. Others were from trade unions, which are groups for workers. This made the KF different from the Danish Women's Society.

Key Leaders of KF

• Matilde Bajer was the first president of KF. She led the group from 1886 to 1889. After that, she stayed on the board.
• Elisabeth Ouchterlony was a journalist. She wrote for the KF's magazine, Hvad vi vil (What We Want). She was also a very good public speaker.
• Johanne Meyer became the editor of Hvad vi vil in 1888. She wrote many articles for it. In 1889, she became the president of KF.

The End of KF

In 1889, many members left the KF. They wanted to start a new group. This new group was called the Kvindevalgretsforeningen, or Women's Suffrage Association. As the name suggests, this new group focused even more strongly on getting women the right to vote.

Because so many members left, interest in the KF went down. The Kvindelig Fremskridtsforening was eventually closed down in 1893.