H. Nawfal Definition of the Eastern Woman According to the Journal "Al-Fatah"

Abstract

British-colonized Egypt became the epicenter of movements for decolonization, nationalism, and modernization in the last quarter of the 19th century. British colonialism influenced not only the socio-economic and political dimensions of the country but also permeated all aspects of social and cultural life.

During this period, the so-called "woman question" (Qadiyat al-mar’a)-concerning how an Egyptian woman should be a better mother, spouse and housewife - emerged as a central theme in disc­ussions about nationalism, decolonization, and progress. Gradually, women the­m­selves began to participate in what had been a male-dominated discourse by establishing written periodicals.

The magazine al-Fatah (Arabic: الفتاة The Young Girl, founded in 1892 by Hind Nawfal), was the first Arabic-language publication crea­t­ed by a woman and intended for women. It serves as an impo­rtant sou­rce for understanding how women of the period perceived them­selves and how they sought to navigate the prevailing political, gen­der, econ­omic, and cultural environment.