Personalities at Istanbul Congress

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22142, 22 June 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

Personalities at Istanbul Congress

Women from forty nations, including Xow Zealand and Australia, mot at Istanbul, Turkey, Inst Easter for the Twelfth Congress of the International Alliauco of Women. " Much of the iinportnnco of this conference lies in the establishment of a friendly feeling between the women of the East and the. women of the West," says a correspondent, describing her impressions and experiences. " Owing to the hospitality and kindness of these Turkish people, representatives of forty nations have met, and the greater understanding reached must increase the chance of a continuous world peace. " Travelling from Bombay district J and the North-West Frontier to the Twelfth Congress of the International Alliance of Women for Suffrage and Equal Citizenship at Instan'bul was a great feat for two members of the Indian delegation—Begum Hamid-Ali and Begum Kamal-ud-Din, both of whom had visited Europe before, but not the Near East. Begum Hamid-Ali, the senior of the two delegates, represents two societies—the All-India Women's Conference and the Women's Indian Association. She is the wife of an officer in the administrative branch of the Indian Civil Service. In her district, that of Satara, in the Bombay Presidency, and, under her guidance, a Village Improvement Propaganda Committee has been formed, which has held classes, one for men, one for women, and a mixed class.

" 'lo these classes representatives of the villages were sent for ten days and housed in the military barracks at Satara. With expenses reduced to a minimum, the financial side of the question was solved by a committee grant and by a small amount, about ten shillings, from each person attending. School teachers were particularly encouraged to f attend. People of all castes and positions availed themselves ot the opportunity, the ages varying from twelve to forty-five. Tuition was given in weaving, carpentry, basketmaking, cooking, poultry and bee keeping, prevention and cure of disease, health, and sanitation. Work started at t a.m. and went on until 8 p.m., u 1 Q V e llollr sess ' ons < with a two hours'** break for lunch. The aims of these classes were to organise the home, to make the money go as far as possible, to make the best of existing circum- I stances, to create comfort and beauty, I

FORTY NATIONS REPRESENTED

and be ready for all personal service to the family, as well as to the community. " Begum Kamal-ud-Din, whose vivacious and charming ways must win her friends wherever she goes, has lived on the Nortli-West Frontier or India for many years, although she and her husband, a captain in the British Army, came originally from Afghanistan. She is the officer in her district who organises most of the social work and arranges the Women's Day, which is held periodically for the instruction and help of the people. A keen Girl Guider, Begum Kamal-ud-Din is interested in educational matters.

" Also on board the Izmir, joining her at Alexandria, was the Egyptian delegation, twelve in number, led by Madame Charaoui, an efficient and gracious woman, who was highly respected by all her followers. She belongs to one of Egypt's oldest and wealthiest families These women came from the Feminist Union of Egyptian Women, which has a body of cadets attached to itself, of whom three were

jj " When a woman ceases to j : take a pride in her appearance : : it means that she has mentally • \ gono to pieces." I : —Barbara Cartland. :

present. They are younger girls training to carry on in the future the work of the union. " The union owns a school which deals with about one hundred and thirty girls, some of whom are boarding and some day pupils. They are poor children who are supplied with uniform on admittance and are instructed in housekeeping and handwork as well as the ordinary school subjects. Due to the work of the Egyptian women, girls can go on to the secondary education and on to the university. One girl lawyer holds a position in the Department of Justice. The question of equal pay for equal work among Egyptian teachers has not arisen, since there are women inspectors for the girls' schools and men inspectors for the boys' schools, and the pay for corresponding positions is equal. There is no prejudice against women in professions—there are not enough trained people for the work available. Among its other achievements the Feminist Union has succeeded in raising the marriageable age for girls to sixteen—a great achievement for an Eastern countrv."