A 1954 hunger strike at the Egyptian press syndicate marked a turning point in the struggle for suffrage, as Doria Shafik demanded female inclusion in the constitutional committee. Her efforts eventually secured the right to vote for literate Egyptian women in 1956, cementing her role as a central figure in the national women's liberation movement.
Academic Foundations in Paris
Born in Tanta in 1908, Shafik excelled in her early education, earning her bacaloria at age 18. She continued her studies at the Sorbonne in Paris, where she completed a PhD in philosophy. Her academic work, which argued for the recognition of women's equal rights, earned her high qualifications. During this period in France, she married Nureldin Ragai, a fellow scholarship student studying law.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Journalism and Institutional Advocacy
Upon returning to Egypt in 1940, Shafik encountered resistance from Cairo University, which refused her a teaching position. She shifted to journalism in 1945, becoming editor-in-chief of the elite magazine La Femme Nouvelle. That same year, she launched Bint Al Nil to educate and mobilize women. In 1948, she formalized her activism by establishing the Bint Al Nil Union, which focused on eradicating illiteracy, establishing employment offices, and providing social services for working women.
Political Confrontation and Military Action
Shafik utilized bold public demonstrations to force political change. In 1951, she organized 1,500 women to occupy the Egyptian parliament for four hours to demand socioeconomic rights. She also formed a uniformed paramilitary unit under the Bint Al Nil banner, which once surrounded a branch of Barclays Bank. Following the 1952 revolution, she successfully registered Bint Al Nil as a political party.
Dissent and Later Years
Following her success in securing voting rights, Shafik engaged in public opposition to the regime of President Gamal Abdel Nasser. In 1957, she initiated a second hunger strike at the Indian embassy, resulting in her house arrest, the banning of her publications, and the erasure of her name from the press. She spent her final years in seclusion in Cairo, focusing on writing and poetry until her death in 1975.
Fast facts
- Born: 14 December 1908, Tanta
- Died: 20 September 1975, Cairo
- Education: University of Paris (PhD)
- Political Party: Bint Al Nil
- Key Achievement: Secured female suffrage in 1956
- Spouse: Nureldin Ragai
- Religion: Islam
Questions readers ask
What was the primary goal of the Bint Al Nil Union?
The union aimed to address women's social problems, promote literacy, and ensure women's inclusion in national policy.
Why was Shafik placed under house arrest in 1957?
She was placed under house arrest for protesting the dictatorial regime of Gamal Abdel Nasser through a hunger strike at the Indian embassy.
