Human rights activist and former presidential runner Khaled Ali has praised Egyptian women for their struggle against discrimination as the country marks the Egyptian Woman Day on 16 March.
“Since the death of Hamida Khalil, the first Egyptian female martyr in 16 March 1919, through all the prisoners of conscience and defenders of freedom and equality, ending with the last martyr, Shaimaa al-Sabbagh, Egyptian women have, everyday, embodied an instance of struggle against discrimination,” he said.
The Egyptian Woman Day marks the first female protest against the British occupation, witnessing the death of Hamida Khalil, the first fatality among female freedom advocates.The 300-woman protest was led by Egypt’s most celebrated feminist, Huda Shaarawi.
It comes eight days after the United Nation’s annual Women’s Day celebrations.
