muna_al_marsafawi

Pioneering Jordanian educator who established the first girls' schools in the Middle East and promoted women's rights through education.

Muna al-Marsafawi (1899–1985) was a trailblazing Jordanian educator and women's rights advocate who founded the first girls' schools in Transjordan during the British Mandate era. Defying societal norms, she established the Al-Marsafawi School in 1922, which became a model for female education in the region. Al-Marsafawi collaborated with British officials and local leaders to create curricula blending Islamic studies with modern subjects like mathematics and science. Her efforts doubled female literacy rates in Amman by 1940. Beyond education, she advocated for women's legal rights, including property ownership and divorce reforms. Her memoir Towards the Light details her struggles and achievements. Al-Marsafawi's legacy is honored through the Muna al-Marsafawi Award for Educational Excellence, recognizing educators who promote gender equality in the Arab world. Her work laid groundwork for Jordan's modern education system and inspired later feminist movements across the Middle East.