The Role of Women in Islam: 18th Century

Around 1880s, women published some political critical journals in the Arab world about girls’ education: they realized that, without an education, no possibility for a social role could be for them.

After a repression by the Ottoman Empire due to a serious crisis, many of feminist elites had to escape from their countries and gathered in EGYPT, that became the centre of the movements of women.

Progressively, more and more awareness came about the need for an economic independence for the women in order to acquire social acknowledgement thanks to the work of Nabawiyya MUSA, the woman who first passed the high school exam in the Arab world: she became a teacher and gained the same salary of a man (Egypt, beginning of XX century).

Struggle for ECONOMIC EMANCIPATION in order to be able to claim RIGHTS.
Tunisia follows closely Egypt, but with about 20 years of delay (first woman who passed the exam: Tawhida Ben Cheykh in 1928).

At the end of XIX century, NAZLI, an Egyptian princess (married with a Turkish diplomat) had the chance to meet many cultures. After the death of his husband, she went back to Cairo. As a widow, she could not be in touch with men, but she created a literary saloon where she invited many people to debate about many topics. Princess Nazli divided her room in two parts: in one stayed the men, in the other the women. They could talk each other, separated by a curtain.
Later princess Nazli married with a Tunisian man and went to Tunis. At that time, she was a famous woman and created another saloon that had an important effect on the Tunisian society.