# Nawal El Saadawi

> Egyptian feminist writer (1931–2021)

**Wikidata**: [Q238514](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q238514)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nawal_El_Saadawi)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/nawal-el-saadawi

## Summary
Nawal El Saadawi was an Egyptian feminist writer, psychiatrist, and activist who lived from 1931 to 2021. A prominent voice in women's rights and Arab literature, she is best known for her novel *Woman at Point Zero* and her advocacy against female oppression. Throughout her life, she held various roles as a physician, novelist, and politician, influencing both the medical and literary landscapes in Egypt and globally.

## Biography
- **Born:** October 27, 1931
- **Died:** March 21, 2021
- **Nationality:** Egyptian (also held citizenship during the Kingdom of Egypt, Republic of Egypt, and United Arab Republic periods)
- **Education:** Cairo University, Columbia University
- **Known for:** Feminist writing, psychiatry, and activism
- **Employer(s):** Q168751
- **Field(s):** Literature, Medicine (Psychiatry, Gynecology), Activism, Politics

## Contributions
Nawal El Saadawi made significant contributions to literature and social justice through her writing and medical practice. Her most notable work is the 1975 novel *Woman at Point Zero*, which addresses issues of patriarchy and violence against women. As a physician writer, she utilized her background in psychiatry and gynecology to inform her literary and activist work, highlighting the intersection of health and women's rights. She also contributed to political discourse as a politician and activist, challenging systemic oppression in Egypt and the broader Arab world.

## FAQs
**What is Nawal El Saadawi best known for?**
She is best known for her novel *Woman at Point Zero* (1975) and her career as a feminist writer and activist who advocated for women's rights in Egypt and the Arab world.

**Where did Nawal El Saadawi receive her education?**
She was educated at Cairo University, a public university in Giza, Egypt, and Columbia University, a private university in New York City.

**What professions did Nawal El Saadawi practice?**
Saadawi worked as a physician, specifically as a psychiatrist and gynecologist, as well as a novelist, writer, activist, and politician.

**What awards did Nawal El Saadawi receive?**
She received numerous honors, including the Catalonia International Prize, the North–South Prize, the Stig Dagerman Prize, and inclusion in the BBC 100 Women list. She also held honorary doctorates from the University of St Andrews, the University of Tromso, the University of Chicago, and the University of York.

**What historical states did Nawal El Saadawi live in?**
During her lifetime, she was a citizen of the Kingdom of Egypt, the Republic of Egypt, the United Arab Republic, and the modern Arab Republic of Egypt.

## Why They Matter
Nawal El Saadawi matters because she pioneered a unique blend of medical insight and literary activism that brought issues of female genital mutilation, gender inequality, and political oppression to the forefront of international discourse. Her work as a psychiatrist and gynecologist provided a scientific foundation for her critiques of patriarchal structures, distinguishing her arguments in the feminist movement. By surviving censorship and imprisonment, she became a symbol of resistance, influencing generations of writers and activists in the Middle East and globally. Her legacy continues to shape conversations around women's bodies, health, and autonomy.

## Notable For
- Author of the 1975 novel *Woman at Point Zero*
- Recipient of the Catalonia International Prize (cultural prize given by the state of Catalonia)
- Recipient of the North–South Prize (Portuguese award)
- Recipient of the Stig Dagerman Prize (Swedish literary award)
- Recognized in the BBC 100 Women list
- Honorary doctor of the University of St Andrews
- Honorary doctor of the University of Tromso (Norway)
- Honorary doctor of the University of Chicago
- Honorary doctorate of the University of York (United Kingdom)
- Career spanning psychiatry, gynecology, and literature
- Citizenship during the Kingdom of Egypt, Republic of Egypt, and United Arab Republic

## Body

### Identity and Nationality
Nawal El Saadawi was an Egyptian citizen born in 1931 who lived through major geopolitical transitions in North Africa and the Middle East. Her life spanned the era of the Kingdom of Egypt, a 20th-century North African kingdom that existed from 1922, and the Republic of Egypt (1953–1958). She also held citizenship during the United Arab Republic, a sovereign state that existed as a union between Egypt and Syria from 1958 to 1961 under the leadership of Gamal Abdel Nasser. Following the dissolution of the union, she remained a citizen of Egypt, a transcontinental country bridging Northeast Africa and Southwest Asia via the Sinai Peninsula.

### Education and Academic Affiliations
Saadawi's academic background was rooted in prestigious institutions in the Middle East and the United States. She was educated at Cairo University, a prominent public university founded in 1908 and located in Giza, Egypt. Cairo University is known for its strong faculties in medicine and engineering and is a member of the Association of African Universities. She also maintained an affiliation with Columbia University, a private Ivy League university in New York City founded in 1754. Additionally, she was affiliated with Duke University, a private university in Durham, North Carolina, known for its research initiatives and endowment.

### Professional Career and Medicine
Professionally, Saadawi was a physician who specialized in both psychiatry and gynecology. As a psychiatrist, she focused on mental health, and as a gynecologist, she specialized in the health of the female reproductive system. She is categorized as a "physician writer," a term describing physicians who write creatively in fields outside their practice of medicine. Her medical career included employment with the entity identified as Q168751. Her dual roles as a medical doctor and a writer allowed her to approach social issues with a unique clinical perspective.

### Literary Works and Activism
As a novelist and writer, Saadawi produced literature that often confronted social norms and political oppression. Her most recognized work is *Woman at Point Zero*, a novel published in 1975. This book is a central text in her bibliography, often cited for its exploration of the struggles faced by women in patriarchal societies. Beyond her novels, she was an activist, defined as a person working to promote social, political, economic, or environmental change. She was also involved in politics as a politician, seeking and holding positions in government to further her advocacy.

### Recognition and Awards
Throughout her career, Saadawi received extensive international recognition for her contributions to literature and human rights. She was awarded the Catalonia International Prize, a cultural prize instituted by the state of Catalonia in 1989. She also received the North–South Prize, a Portuguese award established in 1995, and the Stig Dagerman Prize, a Swedish literary award founded in 1996. In 2013, she was recognized as part of the BBC 100 Women, an international award list highlighting influential women.

Her academic and societal contributions were further honored through numerous honorary degrees. She received an honorary doctorate from the University of St Andrews, the University of Tromso in Norway, the University of Chicago, and the University of York in the United Kingdom. These accolades reflect her global impact and the respect she commanded across different cultures and academic disciplines.

## References

1. The International Who's Who of Women 2006
2. [Nawal el Saadawi, Advocate for Women in the Arab World, Dies at 89. The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/21/obituaries/nawal-el-saadawi-dead.html)
3. BnF authorities
4. Dictionary of African Biography
5. Integrated Authority File
6. The Feminist Companion to Literature in English
7. LIBRIS. 2013
8. [Source](https://www.humanite.fr/culture-et-savoir/litterature/mort-de-nawal-el-saadawi-licone-feministe-de-la-litterature-egyptienne-701729)
9. [Award of the 10th Council of Europe North-South Prize. Council of Europe](https://rm.coe.int/090000168071fcce)
10. [Egyptian writer awarded Stig Dagerman prize. U Press](https://www.upress.umn.edu/press/press-releases/egyptian-writer-awarded-stig-dagerman-prize)
11. [International Peace Bureau to Award 2012 Sean MacBride Peace Prize to Nawal El-Sadaawi (Egypt) and Lina Ben Mhenni (Tunisia). International Peace Bureau](https://www.afri.ie/category/international-peace-bureau-to-award-2012-sean-macbride-peace-prize-to-nawal-el-sadaawi-egypt-and-lina-ben-mhenni-tunisia/)
12. [BBC 100 Women 2015: Who is on the list?. BBC Online](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-34745739)
13. International Standard Name Identifier
14. Virtual International Authority File
15. CiNii Research
16. SNAC
17. FemBio database
18. AlKindi
19. Munzinger Personen
20. Third World Women's Literatures
21. [وفاة نوال السعداوي عن عمر يناهز 90 عامًا. Al-Masry Al-Youm. 2021](https://www.almasryalyoum.com/news/details/2293225)
22. [L’écrivaine égyptienne féministe Nawal El Saadawi est morte. Le Monde. 2021](https://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2021/03/21/l-ecrivaine-egyptienne-feministe-nawal-el-saadawi-est-morte_6073950_3246.html)
23. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
24. [Woman at Point Zero. Open Library](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL8303563W/Woman_at_Point_Zero)
25. [The fall of the imam. Open Library](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL1602174W/The_fall_of_the_Imam)
26. [Source](https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-476-03702-2_110)
27. BBC Things
28. Catalogo of the National Library of India