Women’s Press In Egypt According To The Journal Al-fatah (1892-1914)

Abstract

In the 19th century, the Al-Nahda al-Nisa’ia—a women’s awakening movementbegan in Egypt, which united actions and events to improve the condition of Eastern, Egyptian women. The Periodicals for Women played a signifi cant role in this process. The collective name Women’s Press referred to both periodicals created by women and the press whose audience and subject matter were women. The women’s journals (Al-Sahafat al-Nisa’ia and Al-Majalat al-Nisa’ia, etc.) were not only a “weapon” of the struggle for changes but also a fi eld whose evolution refl ects the status of women in society, including changes in education, professional levels, and legal statusin 19th-20th century Egypt. At the end of the 19th century, Egypt was offi cially part of the Ottoman Empire and at the same time under British occupation. For the formation and development of the press, women’s periodicals, and the process of women’s emancipation in the country amid the ongoing socio-political and economic changes, the most crucial factor was the activation of the national liberation movement and anti-British sentiments. In Alexandria, Egypt, in November 1892, a Christian Lebanese woman, Hind Nawfal founded the fi rst female-run-edited, monthly Arabic-language journal Al-Fatah (The Girl) for women. This article aims to present the main characteristics of the early period of women’s periodicals in Egypt (1892–1914) through an analysis of the journal Al-Fata, in the context of ongoing processes of westernization, colonization, nationalism, and decolonization in the country. There are clear signs of the founding editors’ religious, ethnic, and gender identities being refl ected in the ideological and content aspects of the publication, as well as in its impact on society. To achieve the research goal, a comprehensive analysis of relevant articles from Al-Fatah magazine was conducted, focusing on its functions, duties, and objectives. The relevance of this research topic stems from the importance of studying gender equality. The women’s press played a signifi cant role in shaping social processes, strengthening women’s social positions, and advocating for their civil and social rights. A comparative analysis of women’s periodicals in Egypt allows for the identifi cation of both the distinctive features and shortcomings of the Arab women’s press as a whole. The research methodology is based on the principles of objectivity and historism,historical- comparative and structural-functional analyses of the women’s press”.