Djamila Bouhired

Algerian revolutionary who redefined women's role in anti-colonial struggles

Djamila Bouhired (1935-) emerged as a pivotal figure in Algeria's National Liberation Front (FLN) during the Algerian War of Independence. As one of the first female bombers in urban guerrilla warfare, she shattered stereotypes about Muslim women's participation in armed resistance.

Her most daring operation involved planting explosives at the Milk Bar café in Algiers on September 30, 1956, which injured several French colonists. This act challenged both colonial occupation and patriarchal norms, proving women could execute high-stakes military operations traditionally reserved for men.

After being captured and tortured by French forces in 1957, Bouhired became an international symbol of resistance when her death sentence sparked global protests. French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir led a high-profile campaign that eventually commuted her sentence to life imprisonment.

Post-independence Algeria recognized her as a 'Heroine of the Revolution', but Bouhired later criticized the government for failing to establish true gender equality. Her legacy continues inspiring feminist movements across North Africa through organizations like the Djamila Bouhired Foundation.