Afifa Karam (1883-1924) spent her earlier years in Amchit, Lebanon, before moving to New York, USA, with her husband at the age of fourteen. She was a contributor to the New York-based journal, al-Huda, and went on to become its editor at a later stage . Karam published her first novel, Badi’ah wa Fu’ad (Badi’ah […]
Najla Abillamah (1895-1970) founded the literary magazine Al-Fajr (The Dawn) in 1919. Al-Fajr was not exclusively open to women but emphasized women’s contributions and achievements. The publication of Al-Fajr lasted for six years in Beirut (1919-1924), until Abillamah immigrated to the U.S. The magazine was published again for a year in both English and Arabic. […]
Anbarah Salam Khalidi (1897-1986). Born into a large family of scholars and wealthy merchants, Anbara Salam would grow up to become known as a writer, translator, and feminist organizer. In addition to her literary skills, she was known for her political involvement in the feminist movements in Lebanon and Palestine , the national liberation movement […]
Zaynab Fawwaz (1860(?)-1914(?)) was most likely born into a working-class family of Tibnin, Lebanon. Little is known about her early life, including her date of birth but most sources agree that she was born in 1860. As a young girl, she worked in the palace of Ali Bey al-Asʿad al-Saghir, the feudal prince of the […]
Labibah Hashim (1882-1952) founded Fatat al-Sharq in 1906. The monthly periodical was published from 1906-1929, with some sources dating its first issue back to 1900 . The publication advocated for women’s liberation, and their right to education and political participation. Hashim was also known for the articles she wrote engaging in dialogues and disputes with […]
Salma (Salima) Abi Rashed (1887/9-1919). Abi Rashed is renowned for becoming the first female lawyer in Lebanon. She also founded Fatat Lobnan in 1914, a monthly literary and academic magazine which focused on women. . The magazine emphasized women’s equal right to work in all the fields that men had historically occupied. The publication was […]
Dr. Fadia Kiwan is the founder and former director of the Institute of Political Science at Saint Joseph University, Lebanon. She continues to be a member of the executive board of the National Commission for Lebanese Women. As an academic and researcher, her work explores the issues of democratisation, women’s rights, and sustainable development.
Bahia Baalbaky’s activism started taking shape upon the 1967 resignation of the Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the ideologue of Arab nationalism. Baalbaky took part in a protest against his resignation in a popular march in Beirut, making it her first participation in a public protest . She has been actively advocating for women’s rights […]
Wafaa Abed is an outspoken advocate of the involvement and participation of women in political parties in Lebanon. She also advocates for the implementation of fairer legal codes for women, particularly the need to eliminate discriminatory clauses in Lebanese Social Security Laws. She is currently the president of the Progressive Women’s Union, and the head […]
Enaya Ezzedine was the first woman to hold the position of Minister of State for Administrative Development.
