Siza Nabarawi: A prominent leader of Feminist Movement
Egypt, People, 2/25/2000

A prominent leader and founder of the Egyptian feminist movement, and close companion of Mrs., Hoda Sharawi, Mrs. Sharawi dedicated her life and active career to the struggle for the emancipation of women.

Born in a village in Gharbiya governorate on May 24, 1897, and originally named as Zeinab Mohamed Murad, Siza was adopted and renamed as such by a relative of her family.

She was educated in a French-language school at Alexandria, then traveled to Paris, where she graduated at Lycee de Versaille. She was forced by her father to discontinue her schooling at the age of 17.

Back from Paris, Siza came in contact with Mrs. Hoda Sharawi, who instilled a new spirit in her, turning her into a woman dedicated to a message of changing and pushing forward society, and asserting woman¹s right to education as an active member. On March 16, 1919, she took part in the first women's demonstration in protest of British occupation.

Together with Mrs. Hoda Sharawi, she founded the first Egyptian women¹s association in 1923 to defend women¹s rights. She served as the deputy-chairman of the Egyptian Women's Association as well as deputy chairman of the International Women¹s Federation.

From 1925 to 1940, Siza Nabarawi acted as editor - in chief of "L¹Egyptienne," a French- language magazine.

Thanks to her endeavors women¹s demands for raising marriage age limits for girls and equal opportunity for secondary and higher education were realized, in addition to the opening of the first school for girls in 1923 Besides her position as the chairman of the Berlin- based International Democratic Women¹s Federation, she represented Egypt in all International women¹s conferences, in Moscow, Napoli, Paris, Berlin, Istanbul, Marseilles, Amsterdam and Beirut.

In 1944, she participated in creating the Arab Women¹s Association and Arab Women¹s League. She resigned her position in the International Women¹s Federation, in protest of the federation¹s stand towards the Palestine question.

She was an active founder of the "Egyptian Peace Supporters Committee" she was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1970, the Order of perfection by Hoda Sharawi Society as well as the Order of perfection by the Egyptian Peace Council, in recognition of her endeavours in the context of the world peace movement.

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