Casting off the veil
Subtitle: the life of Huda Shaarawi, Egypt's first feminist
By: Sania Sharawi Lanfranchi ; edited by John Keith King
Contributors: King, John Keith
Publisher: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd.
Published: 2012
Place of publication: New York; London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 308
ISBN-13: 9781848857193
Subjects: Social conditions; Feminists; Biography; Women
Description: Born into a wealthy and powerful Egyptian family, Huda Shaarawi was destined to lead a leisurely life in luxurious settings. She decided instead to acquire an education and to participate in the liberation of Egypt from the British occupation. Huda became famous overnight when she led a peaceful walk of veiled women across Cairo in 1919 to free the leaders of the Egyptian resistance who were detained by the British forces. She was then invited by the members of the Bureau of the IAWS (International Alliance for Women s Suffrage) to participate in the international conference in Rome in 1923. Huda became the lifelong friend of Western and other feminist leaders at that conference. It was after this conference in Cairo when she and her two traveling companions removed their face veil upon leaving the train at the railway station and were spontaneously imitated by all the other women in what became a landmark gesture in Egyptian history. In 1923, Huda founded the Egyptian Feminist Union affiliated to the IAWS, and began publishing a French magazine, L Egyptienne, to circulate information about Egypt s plight and achievements under the occupation, and to promote peace between Eastern and Western countries. She soon became - and remained for many years - one of the Vice-Presidents of the International Organization of Women.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 291-297) and index.
Table of contents: title: 1. Childhood in a conservative home; title: 2. First steps in social work; title: 3. International feminism and the EFU; title: 4. Against the occupation; title: 5. Wafdist ministry; title: 6.The lesson in diplomacy; title: 7. The game of politics; title: 8. The question of Greater Syria; title: 9. The natural enemies of war; title: 10. Turning points; title: 11. Peace and justice; title: 12. Second World War; title: 13. UNGA divides Palestine.