Women's movement in Egypt

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The beginnings of the women's movement in Egypt go back to the late 19th century . While the first protagonists were women of the middle class , whose published works reflected “ feminist consciousness ” in Egypt for the first time , in the course of Islamic renewal ( Muhammad Abduh ), secular modernization and the emerging striving for national unity, men became increasingly interested in the position of the Woman.

history

In 1899, Qasim Amin published his book The Liberation of Women , in which he argued for a reform of gender relations based on religious arguments.

The first forms of feminist activism (social projects) can be observed in the early 20th century. In 1911, the Egyptian parliament first discussed a proclamation of women's rights that had been drawn up by Malak Hifnī Nāsif . From 1923, when Huda Scha'arawi founded the first feminist organization, the Egyptian Feminist Union (EFU), women began to organize and aggressively penetrated the public.

The reign of Gamal Abdel Nasser (1954–1970) was marked on the one hand by strict repression against civil society organizations, which also severely restricted the women's movement in its organizational possibilities. On the other hand, important reforms were undertaken within the framework of Nasser's socialist program, such as: B. the right to vote for women and free university education for both sexes. The civil status law of the 1920s, however, remained in force. The journalist Doria Schafik in particular campaigned for women's suffrage.

With the withdrawal of the state (especially as a promoter of social justice ) and the opening of the country under President Anwar Sadat (1970–81), feminism reappeared on the public stage. For the first time, the doctor Nawal El Saadawi addressed taboo topics such as the circumcision of female genitals , prostitution and violence against women. Under the influence of Jihan al-Sadat , the civil status law was fundamentally reformed in 1979. Saadawi is on a radical Islamist death list.

The influence of conservative religious forces in the debate about the reformed Personal Status Act led to two further reforms in 1985, which ultimately resulted in a compromise. The rule of Hosni Mubarak (1981–2011) was characterized by increasing dependence on the United States and international institutions . The preparations for the Cairo Conferences in 1994 and Beijing in 1995 created new leeway for feminist organizations, which was then severely restricted again.

literature

  • Nadje Al-Ali: Secularism, Gender and the State in the Middle East - The Egyptian Women's Movement . Cambridge, 2000, ISBN 978-0521785044
  • Qasim Amin : The Liberation of Women . [Arr. u. with an insert by Smail Balic], Würzburg, 1992, ISBN 978-3429014728
  • Margot Badran : Feminists, Islam and Nation: Gender and the Making of Modern Egypt . Princeton, 1995, ISBN 978-0691037066
  • Susanne Bräckelmann: "We are half of the world!": Zaynab Fawwaz (1860-1914) and Malak Hifni Nasif (1886-1918) - two publicists of the early Egyptian women's movement . Würzburg, 2004, ISBN 978-3899133516
  • Jehan al Sadat: I am a woman from Egypt. My life. Heyne, 1996, ISBN 3453086503

Personalities

This list includes people who campaigned for equality between men and women in Egypt. It does not claim to be complete.

  • Qasim Amin (1863-1908)
  • Malak Hifnī Nāsif (1886–1918)
  • Nawal El Saadawi (born 1931)
  • Huda Scha'arawi (1879-1947)
  • Durrīya Schafīq (1908–1975)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ "Women's movement in Egypt:" There will be a second revolution "" spiegel.de of December 21, 2012