Archive of Women’s Voices
The unearthing of women’s voices through oral histories has led to the revisiting not only of women’s history, but of history in general. Revisiting women’s narratives can lead to a serious reconsideration of our history and many of our assumptions about the past and the future. Documenting Egyptian women’s life stories can potentially empower women's efforts to better their lives and to struggle for their rights. Research in oral history has provided necessary knowledge and reflection useful for women’s organizations in many countries throughout the world. Despite the recent resurgence of interest in oral histories elsewhere, few oral history projects exist in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The Women and Memory Forum seeks to fill this gap and provide resources for the wider community of researchers, activists and students through the establishment of an Oral History Library. Already in the first phase of this project approximately 100 oral interviews were conducted with women over 75 years of age who had played a role in public life. These narratives have provided the research team with the necessary preliminary data to rethink the project and define some of the possible cultural productions that can be produced. In the second phase of the project, the group has redefined its target group of interviewees using a thematic approach.