Tarab Abdul Hadi
Encyclopedia
Tarab Abdul Hadi (1910 Jenin
–1976 Cairo
) was a Palestinian
Muslim
activist
and feminist
. In the late 1920s, she co-founded the Palestine Arab Women's Congress (PAWC), the first women's organization in British Mandate Palestine, and was an active organizer in its sister group, the Arab Women's Association (AWA).
, who was himself active in politics and went on to become a prominent member of the Istiqlal party
. Abdul Hadi and other women from notable Jerusalem families, established the Palestine Arab Women's Congress (PAWC) to make clear their opposition to the Zionist
presence in Palestine
and their support for the men's national struggle for independence. The first meeting of the PAWC was held at Abdul Hadi's home in Jerusalem on October 26, 1929, with the event since heralded as the "first time" that Palestinian women entered the political arena. Abdul Hadi became one of the members of PAWC's Executive Committee, which consisted of fourteen women, drawn primarily from among notable Jerusalem families, such as the Husseinis
, 'Alamis, Nashashibi
s, and Budeiris. Besides writing letters and telegrams to raise awareness of the Palestinian plight, the PAWC also engaged in prisoner advocacy
, attempting to reduce the length of harsh sentences by appealing to the British authorities and raising money to support families who had lost their breadwinners to imprisonment.
Abdul Hadi was also active in the Arab Women's Association (AWA), also founded in 1929, which became the most prominent feminist organization in Palestine. In her capacity as a AWA organizer, she delivered a speech at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in April 1933, during a visit by British General Allenby, stating:
, an initiative launched by local women encouraging Palestinian women to remove their veils.
After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
, Abdul Hadi ended up in exile
in Cairo
, Egypt
, where she died in 1976.
Jenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
–1976 Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
) was a Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
and feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
. In the late 1920s, she co-founded the Palestine Arab Women's Congress (PAWC), the first women's organization in British Mandate Palestine, and was an active organizer in its sister group, the Arab Women's Association (AWA).
Political organizing
Tarab Abdul Hadi was the wife of 'Auni Abdul HadiAwni Abd al-Hadi
Awni Abd al-Hadi, , was a Palestinian political figure. He was educated in Beirut, Istanbul, and at the Sorbonne University in Paris. His wife was Tarab Abd al-Hadi, a Palestinian activist and feminist....
, who was himself active in politics and went on to become a prominent member of the Istiqlal party
Independence Party (Palestine)
The Independence Party was an Arab nationalist party established on 13 August, 1932, in Palestine during the British mandate. Its origins lay in the Istiqlal movement associated with the short-lived Sharifian government in Damascus....
. Abdul Hadi and other women from notable Jerusalem families, established the Palestine Arab Women's Congress (PAWC) to make clear their opposition to the Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
presence in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and their support for the men's national struggle for independence. The first meeting of the PAWC was held at Abdul Hadi's home in Jerusalem on October 26, 1929, with the event since heralded as the "first time" that Palestinian women entered the political arena. Abdul Hadi became one of the members of PAWC's Executive Committee, which consisted of fourteen women, drawn primarily from among notable Jerusalem families, such as the Husseinis
Al-Husayni
Husayni is the name of a prominent Palestinian Arab clan formerly based in Jerusalem. Several members of the clan held important political positions such as Mayor and Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and founded and led many Palestinian Arab Islamist groups such as the Holy War Army, the Palestine Arab...
, 'Alamis, Nashashibi
Nashashibi
Nashashibi is the name of a prominent Palestinian family based in Jerusalem. Many of its members held senior positions in the government of Jerusalem. Raghib al-Nashashibi was Mayor of Jerusalem .- History :...
s, and Budeiris. Besides writing letters and telegrams to raise awareness of the Palestinian plight, the PAWC also engaged in prisoner advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
, attempting to reduce the length of harsh sentences by appealing to the British authorities and raising money to support families who had lost their breadwinners to imprisonment.
Abdul Hadi was also active in the Arab Women's Association (AWA), also founded in 1929, which became the most prominent feminist organization in Palestine. In her capacity as a AWA organizer, she delivered a speech at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in April 1933, during a visit by British General Allenby, stating:
"The Arab ladies ask Lord Allenby to remember and tell this to his government ... The mothers, daughters, sisters of the Arab victims are gathered here to make the world witness the betrayal of the British. We want all the Arabs to remember that the British are the cause of our suffering and they should learn from the lesson."Abdul Hadi was also active in the campaign against the veil
Veil
A veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, that is intended to cover some part of the head or face.One view is that as a religious item, it is intended to show honor to an object or space...
, an initiative launched by local women encouraging Palestinian women to remove their veils.
After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
, Abdul Hadi ended up in exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, where she died in 1976.