Tunisian women Yesterday and Today
Thewhida Ben Echeickh
The first Tunisian and Arab doctor
Doctor Thewhida Ben Echeickh was born in Bizerte on January 2, 1909. She studied at Bacha Street School, which is considered the first Tunisian school for girls in 1900. In 1928 she got her baccalaureate from the French high school Lycée Armand Fallières: she is considered the first Tunisian woman who obtains a baccalaureate degree. With the help of her mother and Dr. Burnet she was able to pursue her studies in the faculty of medicine in Paris in 1929. In 1936, Thewhida Ben Echeickh obtained her medicine doctorate and become the first women doctor in Tunisia and in the Arab world. Dr Thewhida is considered such a vibrant icon among Tunisian women despite the social obstacles and the religious barriers that existed at that time.
Doctor Thewhida Ben Echeickh was born in Bizerte on January 2, 1909. She studied at Bacha Street School, which is considered the first Tunisian school for girls in 1900. In 1928 she got her baccalaureate from the French high school Lycée Armand Fallières: she is considered the first Tunisian woman who obtains a baccalaureate degree. With the help of her mother and Dr. Burnet she was able to pursue her studies in the faculty of medicine in Paris in 1929. In 1936, Thewhida Ben Echeickh obtained her medicine doctorate and become the first women doctor in Tunisia and in the Arab world. Dr Thewhida is considered such a vibrant icon among Tunisian women despite the social obstacles and the religious barriers that existed at that time.
Gladys Adda
Symbol of active women
Gladys Adda is a Tunisian woman who comes from a Jewish family. She was born in Gabes several miles south from the capital Tunis on June 2, 1921. At the age of 15, she got married as a result her studies were interrupted. Despite all this, Gladys was such an active women in a number of different fields at that time. She was involved in many political actions such as the Union of Tunisian women which was associated to the communist party. Within this union, she was responsible of handling several missions along with notable educated women of that time such as Neila Haddad, Nabiha Ben Miled, Gilda khiari and others. She created strong associations with the Liberal Destourian Party militants during the fight for independence. Moreover, she was such an active member in the Tunisian Association of Librarians, Archivists and Curators. Furthermore, she was drawn into the press field as well. Indeed, she taught at the Press Institute and Information Sciences in Tunis besides the fact that she was among the first Tunisian women who got involved in the distribution of newspapers such as “Ettaliaa” (The elite) and “El Mostaqbal” (The future) in the early twentieth century. She went further in endorsing the improvement of the women statue and supporting the development of their role in the Tunisian society.
Gladys Adda is a Tunisian woman who comes from a Jewish family. She was born in Gabes several miles south from the capital Tunis on June 2, 1921. At the age of 15, she got married as a result her studies were interrupted. Despite all this, Gladys was such an active women in a number of different fields at that time. She was involved in many political actions such as the Union of Tunisian women which was associated to the communist party. Within this union, she was responsible of handling several missions along with notable educated women of that time such as Neila Haddad, Nabiha Ben Miled, Gilda khiari and others. She created strong associations with the Liberal Destourian Party militants during the fight for independence. Moreover, she was such an active member in the Tunisian Association of Librarians, Archivists and Curators. Furthermore, she was drawn into the press field as well. Indeed, she taught at the Press Institute and Information Sciences in Tunis besides the fact that she was among the first Tunisian women who got involved in the distribution of newspapers such as “Ettaliaa” (The elite) and “El Mostaqbal” (The future) in the early twentieth century. She went further in endorsing the improvement of the women statue and supporting the development of their role in the Tunisian society.
Nejia Thameur
Icon of intellectual women
Nejia Thameur is a Tunisian woman from Turkish origins who was born on March 15th, 1926. She graduated from the Damascus Faculty of letters and become a famous radio phonic programs producer. She was such a vibrant icon in the intellectual Arabic world especially that her interests and profession where reserved for man only in the middle of the twentieth century. However, thanks to her remarkable talent, she forced herself in the field and become such effective and active scholar. Indeed, she published several journalistic writings related to the women’s status in the hope of raising the awareness about their rights in several Tunisian and Arabic newspapers. Some of her famous publications are:
· The woman and the life (compendium of articles), Tunis 1956.
· Asma Assad Ibn Fourat’s Daughter, Tunis 1977.
Nejia Thameur is a Tunisian woman from Turkish origins who was born on March 15th, 1926. She graduated from the Damascus Faculty of letters and become a famous radio phonic programs producer. She was such a vibrant icon in the intellectual Arabic world especially that her interests and profession where reserved for man only in the middle of the twentieth century. However, thanks to her remarkable talent, she forced herself in the field and become such effective and active scholar. Indeed, she published several journalistic writings related to the women’s status in the hope of raising the awareness about their rights in several Tunisian and Arabic newspapers. Some of her famous publications are:
· The woman and the life (compendium of articles), Tunis 1956.
· Asma Assad Ibn Fourat’s Daughter, Tunis 1977.
Leilla Ben Ali
Example of women in the 21th century
Leila Ben Ali is the first lady of Tunisia since 1992, the President Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali’s wife. She studied at Montfleury High school and then continued her higher education and earned a degree from the Faculty of letters of Tunis. Mrs. Ben Ali is a symbol in a number of social actions. Indeed, she established different charitable organizations to help the elderly, orphans, handicaps and to raise awareness about Aids and Cancer such as;
“S.O.S. Gammarth”, “El-Karama “SAIDA Association for Fight Against Cancer” “BASMA Association for the Promotion of Employment for the Disabled”.
Moreover, in 2005, Mrs. Leila Ben Ali received the“Peace2005” award by the ‘Together For Peace’ foundation. Furthermore, she’s such an effective person among Arab women in the twentieth first century. She is the current President of the Arab Women Organization (AWO) and she had chaired the International conference on the role of the scientific research on women promoting equal opportunities between women and men which has been held on August,12th 2010 in Tunis.
Leila Ben Ali is the first lady of Tunisia since 1992, the President Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali’s wife. She studied at Montfleury High school and then continued her higher education and earned a degree from the Faculty of letters of Tunis. Mrs. Ben Ali is a symbol in a number of social actions. Indeed, she established different charitable organizations to help the elderly, orphans, handicaps and to raise awareness about Aids and Cancer such as;
“S.O.S. Gammarth”, “El-Karama “SAIDA Association for Fight Against Cancer” “BASMA Association for the Promotion of Employment for the Disabled”.
Moreover, in 2005, Mrs. Leila Ben Ali received the“Peace2005” award by the ‘Together For Peace’ foundation. Furthermore, she’s such an effective person among Arab women in the twentieth first century. She is the current President of the Arab Women Organization (AWO) and she had chaired the International conference on the role of the scientific research on women promoting equal opportunities between women and men which has been held on August,12th 2010 in Tunis.
