User:Aneesakashif/Arab Feminist Union: Difference between revisions

 

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=== Structure and Activities ===

=== Structure and Activities ===

At the start, besides Huda Shaarawi, two Egyptian women were treasurer and secretary. Other member countries, including Iraq. Trans-Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon each had two representatives on the board.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O’Brien |first=Jodi |date=2009 |title=Arab feminist union |url=https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412964517.n29 |website=SAGE Publication}}</ref>

At the start, besides Huda Shaarawi, two Egyptian women were treasurer and secretary. Other member countries, including Iraq. Trans-Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon each had two representatives on the board.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O’Brien |first=Jodi |date=2009 |title=Arab feminist union |url=https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412964517.n29 |website=SAGE Publication}}</ref>

The first constitution of the organization was drafted in 1945.

The first constitution of the organization was drafted in 1945.

The AFU discusses women’s roles within representative countries in relation to the national construct. Also, they sought to affect the personal status laws in these countries to widen women’s rights.<ref name=”:4″ /> In particular, they addressed the issue of prostitution from western militaries.<ref name=”:4″ />

=== Challenges and Decline ===

=== Challenges and Decline ===

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The Arab Feminist Union has various names; these are known as the All-Arab Feminist Union, General Arab Feminist Union, and Arab Women’s Union.^[1] The AFU brought women across different Arab geographies together, and they collaborated to create the AFU.

Arab feminism initially began in Egypt, and this was a result of it being the first Arab country to gain its independence. Various Egyptian women played a significant role in the creation of the EFU. In the late 1930s and early 40s, they wanted to strengthen feminist consciousness; so, they would conduct pan-Arab meetings.

Arab feminist consciousness co-emerged and co-developed with nationalism in the 19th century.^[2] Yet, this is a reaction to western imperialism, alienating the earliest idea about feminism from local experiences and contexts.^[2] At the same time, the West views Arab women through an orientalist lens, conjuring up the phrase with veiled, secluded women, whose lives consist of little more than their homes, their children, and their kinships.^[2]

By the mid-20th century, after Britain ending protectorate over Egypt and recognized Egypt as an independent kingdom, Egypt is experiencing weakened influence from the Ottoman empire and achieves semi-autonomy.^[3] As a result, the country’s social structure shifts as self-regulated economy enables growth of middle and upper classes while forcing several women back to home, leading to feminist revolts.^[2] These activisms and women’s press by the educated led to the founding of EFU by 1923.^[4]

The implementation of a Pan-Arab feminist ideology has been previously attempted by the Egyptian Feminist Union (EFU) in the 1940s, in response to the growing assumptions of homogeneity of global women’s circumstances, oppressions, and demands. ^[5] Nevertheless, rising tensions between International Alliance of Women and EFU led to proposals of regional unions.^[5]

Regarding its creation, the Egyptian Feminist Union (EFU) was a significant driving force in the creation of the AFU, with Huda Shaarawi being the founder of the EFU and having majorly contributed to the AFU’s creation. After a 1938 conference which advocated for the Defense of Palestine, Shaarawi pitched the idea of each country having their own respective feminist union. She took further initiative by meeting with multiple Arab women’s organizations. As a result, members of these organizations communicated the possibility of a feminist conference, a conversation which took place in Lebanon. This led to December 1944, a crucial month which marked the establishment of the AFU; the Arab Feminist Congress held in Cairo established it.

After its creation, the AFU accomplished multiple alliances with Arab feminist associations. The Union’s main priority was to achieve gender equality, but members also dedicated their efforts to enhancing and spreading nationalism across all Arab countries.^[1] Additionally, this organization proved to be a significant advancement for Arab feminism since it promoted interaction and community among various women’s organizations.

However, during the 1950s and 60s, the domination of totalitarian regimes led to negative consequences for feminist organizing. This domination was detrimental to the point that the AFU had to temporarily change their name to “Arab Women’s Union,” so as to avoid the word, “feminism.”

Beyond the EFU and AFU, Huda Shaarawi was a crucial feminist figure because she advocated for women’s liberation, making her one of the first Egyptian woman to do so.^[6] Her advocacy efforts included Islamic values and incorporated the religion’s framework. In December 1944, she participated in the Arab Feminist Conference by advocating for women’s political rights. Although none of the bills passed, the AFU resulted from this conference. Additionally, her advocacy left a lasting impression: she instilled awareness in her audiences regarding repressive gender norms. By challenging traditional definitions of womanhood and by advocating for the progression of women’s roles and their overall value, she left a legacy. In fact, she was awarded the Nishan al-Kama, a highly regarded award which was issued by the Egyptian state.

At the start, besides Huda Shaarawi, two Egyptian women were treasurer and secretary.^[7] Other member countries, including Iraq. Trans-Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon each had two representatives on the board.^[7]

The first constitution of the organization was drafted in 1945.^[7]

The AFU discusses women’s roles within representative countries in relation to the national construct. Also, they sought to affect the personal status laws in these countries to widen women’s rights.^[7] In particular, they addressed the issue of prostitution from western militaries.^[7]

The decline of the AFU emerged from internal limitations and political pressures that weakened its unity, legitimacy, and capacity. AFU’s headquarters were located in Cairo, Egypt, keeping the union under the subjugation of Egypt’s political environment.^[8] Before the 1952 Egyptian Revolution, the British held ultimate control and occupation. The post-revolutionary period resulted in the first prime minister and later president of Egypt, Gamal ‘Abdel-Nasser.^[9] Under Nasser’s regime, state consolidation policies required female associations to be registered, monitored, and controlled. Furthermore, mobility narrowed as representatives needed visas to attend conferences.^[10] The state declared which organizations could continue to operate within the new political apparatus, which led to the dismantling of the EFU in 1956.^[9] As a result of…[caused the AFU to move to Lebanon…]

Modern-day pan-Arab feminism now aims to accomplish conservatism by trying to return to a time where women strictly performed home roles and were not heavily involved in the workforce. This is due to the new patriarchal conservative thrust, operated by conservative Muslims.^[11] The response to this has created a division, where some Arab feminists are comfortable speaking out while others remain silent or cautious.