Union des femmes de Wallonie facts for kids
The Union des Femmes de Wallonie (which means Union of Women of Wallonia) was a group for women in Belgium. It started in 1912 thanks to Léonie de Waha, with help from Marguerite Delchef. The group wanted to make people more interested in the culture and politics of Wallonia.
At first, the Union encouraged women to help bring back Wallonia's unique language and old traditions. After the First World War, the group focused more on women's rights and freedom. In the 1930s, they worked hard for women to get the right to vote. They also pushed for better education and job chances for women. Even so, some members still believed women's main role was in the home. From 1920 to 1936, the Union published a magazine called La Femme wallonne. This magazine often supported women's rights, trying to break old ideas about women and pushing for everyone to have the right to vote.
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The Union's Story: How It Began and Grew
The Union des Femmes de Wallonie officially started on October 28, 1912. This happened shortly after Jules Destrée wrote a letter to the king in August. In his letter, Destrée suggested that Wallonia and Flanders should be separate. An assembly for Wallonia was then created on October 20.
Léonie de Waha, who was an educator, became the president of the Union. Marie Defrecheux, a headmistress, was the vice-president. Marguerite Delchef, a language expert, served as the secretary. The main goal of the Union was to get women involved in developing Wallonia's cultural traditions.
Early Activities and World War I
Before the First World War, the Union started a committee for social work. They also held many talks and published a quarterly magazine. During the war, the group kept going, but their activities were mostly limited to the Liège area.
After the war ended, the Union changed its rules and expanded its goals. They now aimed to protect French culture and support women's education in arts and thinking. They also wanted to stay updated on the Walloon movement. A very important goal was to make sure people never forgot the terrible things that happened during the war.
Women's Rights and Work Opportunities
In the early 1920s, women were allowed to vote in local elections. Because of this, all political parties encouraged women to take part. Women could not yet vote in bigger elections for provinces or the country. However, political posters still asked them to influence how their husbands voted.
The Union kept encouraging women to work, even when many men were losing their jobs. For example, in 1926, Marie Delcourt wrote an article in La Femme wallonne about this. By 1934, the economy was in a deep crisis, causing even more job losses. A Catholic senator named Georges-Ceslas Rutten suggested limiting women's work in factories, workshops, building sites, and offices.
Marie Delcourt spoke out again. She wrote an article called Le chômage et le travail des femmes (Unemployment and Women's Work). She argued that employers who were also politicians wanted to fire women. They thought this would make men vote for them. Delcourt believed the only real solution was to give women the right to vote in all elections.
Later Years of the Union
The Union faced some challenges in the late 1930s. However, Marguerite Delchef helped bring it back to life after the Second World War. The Union des Femmes de Wallonie continued its work until 1955.
