"The movement for women’s emancipation, fighting against their discrimination emerged in the Middle East at the tum of the 19th centuiy on the wave of social transformations and Western inspirations. From its very beginning, the movement has been connected with the nationalistic current and called for the fulfilment of women’s demands within the systems of independent countries. The demand for education was the most clearly expressed and freąiient pośtulate, but not less impórtant were calls for upgrading the status of the woman within the family, and the right to employment. Nationalism was the key to the legitimacy of women’s movement in the public eye as forpolitical elites."(...)