The Middle Eastern Feminist Movement

The Middle Eastern Feminist Movement
The Middle Eastern Feminist Movement and Their Demands from Primary Sources in Middle Eastern Women Speak
Fernea (1977) demonstrates that the feminist movement in the Middle East was made up of a group of Egyptian women who aimed to ensure that various demands were met. The first demand was for girls to be educated. The feminists wanted girls who wanted to educate themselves to be granted this wish by being allowed free access to schools of higher education. Another goal was to ensure that there was reform in various legal practices that pertained to marriage. For the longest period, women had to put up with bigamy, and this was mainly due to false interpretations. Furthermore, this caused the repudiation of wives, an injustice that feminists demanded to be eliminated in society.
Another demand that feminists had was the formation and passage of a law that would set the minimum age that a girl could get married. The feminists had to live with young girls’ educations being neglected as they were married off at a young age (Fernea, 1977). As a result, the feminist movement demanded that an age limit be established. Additionally, through the movement, the feminists also demanded a reform in the practices adopted when it came to marriage. The major demand was that the two parties be given time to become acquainted with one another before being engaged. However, although some of the demands were accorded to women, some were still not granted.
Additionally, one of the leading feminist figures was Huda Sh’arawi. She was born in 1882 to a wealthy household, and this enabled her to get an education that prepared her for public service. According to Fernea (1977), one of her greatest achievements was sending memos and petitions to British leaders. She also participated in demonstrations as she called for Egyptian independence. The other achievement is that in 1920, Huda became the head of the first women’s association in Egypt (Fernea, 1977). Also, in 1924 she established the Women’s Union, mainly comprised of schools and workshops. Another major achievement of Huda is her being the first woman in 1946 to call for the abolishment of the use of atomic weapons. Although she passed away in 1947, her actions and bravery paved the way for a new generation of Egyptian women who were willing to stand up against injustice.
The other leading feminist figure was Halide Edibs, who had always been considered dangerous due to her great political consequences. Some of her greatest achievements were influencing other women to push for the abolishment of polygamy and demand for women’s consent to get married. She wished for women to have the right to choose who they marry (Fernea, 1977). The other great achievement is influencing women to push for the passage of laws that grant them the right to vote and to hold various public offices. Thus, her influence on pushing women to demand justice in various areas is one of her greatest achievements. Consequently, different feminists played a crucial role in influencing women to speak out on matters they deemed unfit and to change the laws they felt promoted i...