15 of the Most Inspirational Egyptian Women Today
On the occasion of International Women's Day we take a moment to honour Egyptian women who make a difference every day.
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Azza Fahmy
The renowned Egyptian jewellery maker did not just make a name for herself internationally, but for being the first woman in Egypt to train with masters in the jewellery quarter of Khan El Khalili, defying gender roles in the profession.
Shahira Fahmy
This young architect took her talent all the way to Harvard. Yes, that’s right, our very own Shahira Fahmy is now a Loeb fFellow and influences architecture across the globe as one of the most influential names in modern day architecture.
Qahera
There is simply no other name that empowers women in Egypt more: Superhero Qahera, by 19-year old Deena Mohamed, gives every woman in Egypt a face and inspires young and old to let their inner hero shine... and kick some butt!
Shut Ub Your Mouse Obama Woman
She might not be inspirational for her English skills, but that lady stands up to men, most notably her least favorite politicians Barack Obama and Mohamed Morsi, and tells it how it is.
Ahdaf Soueif
The world-renowned writer that has lyrically captured the Revolution and brought it to a worldwide audience in one of her many engagements for The Guardian as a political commentator or in her novels and personal accounts, published around the world, represents all of our voices.
Nawal El Saadawi
There is few Egyptian feminist activists out there who have had the impact El Saadawi has had. As founder and president of the Arab Women's Solidarity Association and co-founder of the Arab Association for Human Rights, holding honorary degrees from three continents, she has particularly written and raised awareness about female genital mutilation. #Kudos
Magda Haroun
Being Jewish, never mind leading their community, is no easy feat in Egypt. Haroun, president of Egypt's Jewish community, is a woman that clearly knows how to handle an icky situation and knows how to stand up for people and minorities.
Hoda Badran
As president of the Alliance for Arab Women, Badran’s everyday life is directed by the fight for gender equality and at least 100 seats for females in parliament. Her determination throughout this male-dominated landscape is truly inspirational.
Elisa Sednaoui
Photo Credit: Elisa Sednaoui
No, this woman isn’t just a gorgeous, famous supermodel; she has also made her way through the pop cultures and societies of this world to make a difference for Egyptian kids who she is supporting in Luxor with her own foundation, focused on creative education.
Tahany Toson
Being good at volleyball is inspirational in itself, regarding how hard these girls have to hit a ball. Toson, however, is the best of them all, even making her the “Player of the Century” on the African continent in 2000 after her many achievements as a player, playing in over 200 international matches, which were followed by an impressive series of success as a coach.
Raneem El Welily
El Welily is single-handedly one of the biggest reasons Egypt prides itself in its success in squash. Having started her career at just 6-years old, she contributed to the Egyptian win at the World Juniors at age twelve. In 2005, she became the world junior champion, all before hitting the big 1 8. Now she's ranked number two in the world.
Jehane Noujaim
Filmmakers around the world are dreaming of what Jehane Noujaim has already achieved: she attended Harvard University, made films about her native Cairo and the Middle East and was nominated for an Academy Award for her documentary feature The Square in 2014.
Hala Shukrallah
The current president of the Egyptian Constitution party is the first Coptic woman to ever lead a party in Egypt. On top of that, Shukrallah is furthering many philanthropic goals such as social justice and human rights.
Mervat Said
Cairo's stray animals have a guardian angel, and her name is Mervat Said. Using most of her money she makes as a teacher, she rescued over 200 cats and dogs from certain death in the streets of Cairo and gives them love and shelter in her Saqqara abode.
Mona Tahawy
The prominent Egyptian journalists has defended Muslim-Christian relations around the globe, most notably as a op-ed writer for The Times, The Washington Post and many more. Having had a stint in the USA, she is back in Cairo, advocating an improvement in religious conflicts in Egypt.
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