Nawal El Saadawi
Egypt
Nawal El Saadawi is an Egyptian doctor, novelist, and writer who fights for women's rights.
Professional Information
Professional Areas:
Literature,
Health
Working primarily in:
Egypt
Description of Work:
El Saadawi attended the University of Cairo and graduated in 1955 with a degree in psychiatry.
Professional Experience:
Visiting Professor
Duke University, 1993- 1996
University of Washington, Seatt1e, 1995
University of Illinois at Chicago, 1998, Florida Atlantic University 1999
Montclair State University 2001-2002
University of Southern Maine January to December 2003
University Autonoma at Barcelona Spain 2004
Smith College Northampton MASS. USA Autumn 2004
Claremont Graduate School , California USA Spring 2005
Head of Women’s Program in the UN – ECA, Addis Ababa, 1978-1979; UN -ECA, Beirut, 1978 -1980
Author in the Supreme Council for Arts and Social Sciences, Cairo, 1974 -1978
Director General of the Health Education Department, Ministry of Health, Cairo, 1966- 1972
Medical Doctor, University Hospital and Ministry of Health, 1955–1965
Activities:
Founder and President, Arab Women's Solidarity Association (AWSA), 1982- Present Founder, Noon Magazine, 1989-1991 and Health Magazine 1968-1973
Co–Founder, Arab Association for Human Rights, 1983-1987
Founder Vice-President, African Association for Women on Research Development, Dakar, Senegal, 1977 -1987
President and Organizer, International Conference on the Challenges Facing Arab Women, Cairo, September, 1986, and other international conferences of AWSA, 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2005 in Cairo.
Founder, Health Education Association and Chief Editor, Health Magazine, Cairo, Egypt, 1968-1974 Founder, Egyptian Women Writer's Association, 1971
Secretary General of Medical Association, Cairo, Egypt. 1968-1972
Editor of Medical Association Magazine, 1968-1972
AWARDS
Honorary Doctorate, University of York, United Kingdom, 1994
Honorary Doctorate, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1996
Honorary Doctorate, University of St. Andrews-Scotland, 1997
First Degree Decoration of the Republic of Libya, 1989
Literary Award of Gubran, (Arab Association of Australia Award), 1988
Literary Award by the Franco-Arab Friendship Association, Paris, France, 1982
Literary Award by the Supreme Council for Arts and Social Sciences, Cairo, Egypt, 1974
XV Premi International Catalunia Award, 2003
Honorary Doctorate Degree, University of Tromso, Norway, 2003
International Writer of the Year for 2003, nominated by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England
Great Minds of the 21st Century Award, American Biographical Institute,
North Carolina , USA, 2003
North South Prize 2004, the Council of Europe (Lisbon, 25 October 2004 )
Inana International Prize , Brusselles Belgium 2005
Source:http://www.nawalsaadawi.net/bio.html
Biographical Information
Nawal El Saadawi
(At a Glance)
Gender: female
Place of Origin: Egypt
A feminist, Nawal El Saadawi was born in Kafr Tahla, a small village outside of Cairo. At the age of six years, El Saadawi was circumcised like many of her classmates during that time. From her personal experience at the age of six and her experiences as a doctor dealing with women and women's issues, El Saadawi has committed herself to activism. She fights for women's rights through her research, publications, and organizations.
Her first publication in 1972,
Woman and Sex, dealt with the subject of women's sexuality, politics, and religion. Since her first publication, her books have focused on women, their sexuality, and legal status.
Soon after the release of
Woman and Sex El Saadawi was dismissed from her post as the Ministry of Health and lost her position as chief Editor of Health, a health magazine she found, and as Assistant General Secretary in the Medical Association in Egypt.
She continued to write-her works have been translated into 30 languages-but was unable to find work in government due to her controversial beliefs. El Saadawi continues to be a prolific writer, publishing non-fiction, fiction, plays, and articles that are highly controversial leading to death threats and imprisonment.
In addition to writing El Saadawi has established several organizations dedicated to women's rights.
Resources:
http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/saadawi.html
http://www.nawalsaadawi.net/bio.html