Hijja Kawádira Sallú

A Syrian educator who pioneered women's education in the Arab world during the Ottoman era

Hijja Kawádira Sallú (1850-1930) was a Syrian educator who established the first girls' school in Damascus in 1879, defying societal norms in Ottoman Syria. Born into a prominent family, she used her privilege to challenge gender barriers, initially teaching girls in her home before securing a government license to open a formal school. Her institution became a model for future educational initiatives, emphasizing religious studies alongside mathematics and literature.

Despite facing opposition from conservative groups, she expanded her efforts to include teacher training programs and women's health education. Her work influenced figures like Qasim Amin, the Egyptian pioneer of Arab feminism. Sallú's legacy is preserved in the Kalamoon Cultural Foundation, which continues her educational mission. Her advocacy laid groundwork for modern Syrian women's rights movements, though her contributions remain underacknowledged outside academic circles.