Rawya Ateya

Rawya Ateya (; 19 April 1926 – 9 May 1997) was an Egyptian woman who became the first female parliamentarian in the Arab world in 1957.

Early life Rawya Ateya was born in Giza Governorate on 19 April 1926. She grew up in a politically active family. Her father was the secretary-general of the liberal Wafd Party in Gharbia, and his political activities led to his incarceration. Ateya herself took part in demonstrations from a very early age, and it was injured during the 1939 anti-British protests. She continued her studies to an advanced level, which was highly unusual for Egyptian girls at the time. She obtained several university degrees in various fields: a license in letters from Cairo University in 1947, a diploma in education and psychology, a master's degree in journalism and a diploma in Islamic studies. She worked as a teacher for 15 years and had a brief six-month stint as a journalist. During the October War of 1973, she chaired the Society of Families of Martyrs and Soldiers, which earned her the nickname of "mother of the martyred combatants." She obtained several military awards from the Egyptian state, notably the badge of the Third Army, the Medallion of 6 October and the medal of the armed forces. Nevertheless, Ateya overcame the odds and received 110,807 votes in her constituency. In addition to such religious arguments, she used her military experience as a political asset.

Ateya took her seat in the National Assembly on 14 July 1957. Although another woman (Amina Shukri) was elected in the 1957 elections, her victory was only announced on 22 July, thus making Ateya the first female parliamentarian in Egypt and the whole Arab world. She headed the Population and Family Council for Giza in 1993.