Zohra Drif

Algerian revolutionary and lawyer who used legal strategies to dismantle French colonialism and empower marginalized communities

Zohra Drif (born 1938) was a key figure in Algeria’s fight for independence, blending revolutionary activism with legal expertise to challenge French colonial rule. A medical student during the 1950s, she joined the FLN (National Liberation Front) at 19, becoming one of the first female combatants in the Battle of Algiers. Her memoir Algerian White: Memoirs of a Revolution details covert operations and her 1962 imprisonment by French authorities. Post-independence, Drif earned a law degree and pioneered women’s rights legislation, including Algeria’s 1963 Family Code. She later served as a judge in international human rights courts, advocating for victims of colonial violence. Drif’s legal strategies, documented in Brookings Institute papers, influenced post-colonial governance frameworks across Africa.

Drif’s dual role as a revolutionary and legal reformer set a precedent for gender equity in governance. She co-founded Algeria’s first women’s legal aid center in 1975, assisting over 5,000 marginalized women. Her 1980s advocacy for land rights in rural Algeria inspired similar movements in Mali and Senegal. Drif’s life is chronicled in the PBS documentary Lawyer of the Sahara (2018), and she remains a symbol of resilience in the Algerian National Museum. Her legacy continues through the Zohra Drif Foundation, which funds scholarships for women in law and public policy.