Nawal El Saadawi: Three Key Contributions and Reflections on Her Legacy

by Aicha Dembele

Nawal El Saadawi (1931–2021) was a pioneering Egyptian physician, psychiatrist, novelist, and feminist who left an indelible mark on global thought. She dedicated her life to confronting patriarchy, religious fundamentalism, and systems of oppression that affect women not only in the Arab world but globally. Among her many powerful contributions, three stand out: her unflinching critique of patriarchy and religion, her use of medicine and literature to expose injustice, and her active role in feminist organizing and resistance despite personal risk.

First, El Saadawi’s bold critique of patriarchy especially when reinforced by religion and tradition set her apart in both feminist and Middle Eastern discourse. In works like The Hidden Face of Eve, she documented how cultural and religious institutions justified harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM), early marriage, polygamy, and the control of female sexuality. She argued that many of these practices were falsely framed as religious duties but were, in truth, tools for controlling women’s bodies and minds. Her willingness to criticize sacred institutions made her a controversial figure, but also a necessary one, especially in societies where questioning religion is seen as taboo.

Second, her professional background as a physician and psychiatrist gave her a unique lens to examine how gender inequality affects women’s physical and mental health. She did not only speak theoretically, she drew from her experience working in rural clinics and mental hospitals, where she saw firsthand the effects of abuse, poverty, and neglect on women. Her novel Woman at Point Zero is based on the real story of a woman imprisoned for murder, revealing the structural violence that pushed her to that point. Through both fiction and non-fiction, El Saadawi showed that injustice is not abstract; it lives in bodies, in trauma, and in silence.

Third, El Saadawi was not only a writer but an activist who organized, spoke out, and paid the price for her views. She founded the Arab Women’s Solidarity Association (AWSA) and remained politically active throughout her life, even running for president of Egypt. She faced imprisonment, censorship, and threats. One of her most famous books, Women and Sex, led to her being fired from the Ministry of Health. Yet she never retreated. Instead, she continued to write, speak, and advocate for a society where women could live freely, equally, and with dignity.

Reading about El Saadawi’s life and work fills me with admiration, as well as reflection. Her courage is extraordinary. She named what others refused to name. She broke silences that kept women in shame and fear. As someone who cares deeply about gender justice, especially in African contexts like Côte d’Ivoire, I see her as a guiding light. Her insistence that oppression must be understood in terms of both ideology and material suffering through poverty, healthcare, education, and mental health feels especially relevant in my own country