International Women's Day celebrations are organized globally every year on March 8 to promote gender equality and end violence against women. I was honored to attend the gala celebration in Italy where President Sergio Mattarella and the distinguished women ministers of defense, education, constitutional reforms and the speaker of the house, who is also a woman, were present. Five women were honored and acknowledged for their dedication to protect women's rights and promote gender equality: Maria Lisa Cinciari Rodano, appointed Municipal Councilor in Rome (1946 to 1956); elected MP (1948-1968); Senator until 1972; first woman appointed as Deputy Speaker (1963-1968); EU Parliamentarian (1979-1989); EU Parliament's Commission on the Status of Women (1979-1981); chairwoman and rapporteur on the "Status of Women in Europe" (1981-1984); Deputy Chairwoman of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality of the European Parliament (1984-1989). Lidia Menapace Brisca chair at Catholic University of Sacro Cuore; first woman elected to the provincial Council of Bolzano in 1964; first woman member of the Provincial Cabinet; among the founders of "Il Manifesto" newspaper (1969); elected Senator and chairwoman of the Parliamentary commission on impoverished uranium (2007-2008). Maria Romana De Gasperi eldest daughter of President Alcide De Gasperi who supported him through his institutional life; essayist and Deputy President of De Gasperi Foundation. Beatrice Rangoni Machiavelli, manager of the Liberal Party's newspaper La Tribuna for 10 years; member of the EU Economic and Social Committee since 1982; President of the Italian Council of the German Foundation "Friedrich Naumann"; helped organize Peace Days in 1986; first European woman to win the award "Woman who makes a difference" by the US International Women's Forum. Elena Mariucci supported the Fortuna bill on divorce in 1971; prominent representative of Italian feminism; head of the Socialist Party 1981; established a 25 percent quota of women, paving their way for elections and as members of parliament; elected Senator 1983; chaired the national committee for the promotion of gender equality (1984); Undersecretary of State for Health (1987); among the first European women parliamentarians (1994). Listening to these exceptionally successful Italian women speak about their struggle to gain their rights in times of war and adversity made me reflect upon the role of Saudi women pioneers who struggled to introduce education for women and provide them opportunities for a better life. Queen Iffat, wife of the late King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz, was an advocate of education for women during the 1950s. She was progressive during a time when the idea of education was frowned upon and families were reluctant to send their daughters to school. In 1956, she established Dar Al-Hanan, the first school for girls in Jeddah, and launched the first college for women in Riyadh. During the 1960s, she founded The Women's Welfare society in Jeddah and Al-Nahdah Women's Welfare in Riyadh. Both foundations have been instrumental in offering a life of dignity for thousands of underprivileged women in society. She was a wise woman who cared and was able to make a difference. Lutfiyyah Al-Khateeb, the first Saudi female nurse, received her diploma in 1941 from Cairo, Egypt. She dedicated her life to promoting education for women and encouraging the nursing profession for women. When doctors were few and far between in Saudi Arabia, Lutfiyyah was the only woman who could provide medical assistance and deliver babies and she saved many lives. She was a true pioneer who influenced change by convincing religious conservatives in the late 1950s to promote schools for girls in the Kingdom. She worked with the General Presidency for Girls' Education to encourage public acceptance of girls attending school. She lobbied throughout the 1960s for the establishment of the first Health Institutes. She was a role model who impacted the lives of many in her generation. Samira Islam was the first Saudi woman with a doctorate degree in pharmacology (1983 ); awarded UNESCO's Scientist of the Year; regional consultant for the World Health Organization's medicines program; founder and head of King Fahd Medical Research Center's Drug Monitoring Unit at King Abdulaziz University; lecturer at King Abdulaziz University (1971); academic advisor for the girl's section of the university (1973); vice dean of the Faculty of Medicine (1974); board member of the Arab Science and Technology Foundation and Makkah Award winner of Excellence for research on the effects and impact of medication on Saudis. Professor Islam has been instrumental in encouraging girls to pursue higher education in science and medicine. She continues to be an inspiration to all Saudi women today. Despite the current challenges that Saudi women face, they are called upon to carry the torch of their pioneers and join the ranks of distinguished Italian women with a new commitment to the international campaign for gender equality and an end to violence against women. It is time that they stand up for their rights and achieve gender parity. — Samar Fatany is a radio broadcaster and writer. She can be reached at [email protected]
