Fatma Ben Mohamed

A pioneering Algerian educator and activist who founded schools for girls during French colonial rule, advocating for women's rights and education.

Fatma Ben Mohamed (1900–1970) was a trailblazing Algerian educator and social reformer who dedicated her life to advancing women's education and rights during French colonial rule. Born in Oran to a family of modest means, she witnessed firsthand the systemic exclusion of girls from formal education. By 1925, she established the Oran Girls’ Institute, one of the first schools in Algeria to prioritize girls’ literacy and vocational training. Despite facing opposition from colonial authorities and traditionalist factions, she expanded her network to include 12 schools across rural regions by 1940. Her 1938 speech at the Casbah Forum declared, 'Education is the weapon that will liberate our mothers and daughters.' Post-independence, her advocacy influenced Algeria’s 1963 education reforms, mandating equal access for girls. Her legacy is preserved in the Fatma Ben Mohamed National Education Museum in Algiers, showcasing her handwritten lesson plans and correspondence with global feminists like Simone de Beauvoir.

Ben Mohamed’s pedagogical innovations included integrating Arabic and French curricula, a controversial yet pragmatic approach to preserve cultural identity while preparing students for global opportunities. She also trained over 300 female teachers, many of whom later became leaders in post-colonial governance. Her 1955 memoir ‘Between the Walls of the Harem’ remains a seminal text on gender and colonialism in North Africa. In 2010, UNESCO honored her with a special tribute at the Rabat Women’s Summit, acknowledging her role in laying the groundwork for Algeria’s modern educational system.