Fatma al-Zahra' al-Marishti

An Egyptian feminist and educator who founded schools for girls and authored influential works advocating women's rights and education in the early 20th century.

Fatma al-Zahra' al-Marishti: Pioneering Egyptian Feminist

Fatma al-Marishti (1892–1975) was a trailblazer in Egyptian women's education. Born into a Coptic Christian family in Cairo, she became the first woman to graduate from Cairo University's law faculty in 1918. Defying expectations, she abandoned a legal career to focus on education, opening the Al-Marsisiya School for Girls in 1923, which integrated classical Arabic literature with modern subjects like science.

Her 1935 manifesto Women's Rights in the Islamic Framework argued for gender equality within religious contexts, sparking debates across the Arab world. This work is still referenced in modern gender studies, as seen in Middle East Studies Journal. She also founded Egypt's first female teacher training college, producing 300 educators by 1950.

Al-Marishti's advocacy led to the 1947 law allowing women to vote, though her role in this achievement remains understudied. Her legacy is preserved in the al-Marishti Archive at Cairo University, which includes her handwritten notes and correspondence with figures like Huda Shaarawi. Despite her influence, her contributions are often overshadowed by male contemporaries in Egyptian historiography.