SPECIAL SERIES ON GREAT LAKES WOMEN: WHAT KENYA OWES TO ITS WOMEN ....( AND MEN)

My African cliché of the day is a great African woman rights fighter: Huda Sha’arawi. She created the first Egyptian Philanthropic Society for women, in addition to being the founder and head of the Egyptian Feminist Union. When she wasn’t representing Egypt internationally at women’s conferences, she also made time to found a school for girls and implement women-run social services. She’s one of the most outspoken and unapologetic Egyptian women in recent history. Despite all her accomplishments, she refused to be singled out as Egyptian. Here is what she said on that topic:

“Men have singled out women of outstanding merit and put them on a pedestal to avoid recognizing the capabilities of all women.”