To mark Egyptian Women’s Day, a three-day caricature exhibition titled “Tales by Egyptian Women’s Fingers” opened on 14 March at the Cairo Public Library in Zamalek.

The opening was attended by the former Minister of Culture Emad Abou-Ghazy; head of the Cairo Library Yasser Othman; chairwoman of the Egyptian Society for Libraries, Information and Archives Amany Megahed; as well as gifted cartoonist Said Badawy.

The exhibition featured artwork by a number of Egyptian female artists and members of Egypt’s Union of Women Cartoonists from different governorates shedding light on the disadvantages of early marriage among young girls.

“It is good to find such union for female cartoonists in Egypt,” said Badawy, “because they would be more credible and experienced in expressing their own issues through their artwork; genital circumcision, divorce, harassment and violence against women.”

Badawy believes that caricatures are not just funny cartoons, but rather an idea, belief and the reflection of an issue.

“The most wonderful thing is that those female cartoonists are creative; most of them attended workshops and have their own attitude and enlightened perspective,” he added. 

About the exhibition, Howeida Ibrahim, a cartoonist at Al-Massriya newspaper and head of the union, said, “this is the 10th of the union’s exhibitions.”

“Our union is the largest all over the world, as it comprises 60 women cartoonists. This year’s exhibition focuses on marriage among teenagers. We dedicated a part of the artworks to depicting those Egyptian actresses who played the roles of teenagers in Egyptian cinema, such as Souad Hosni, Faten Hamama, Samah Anwar, Sherihan, and Magda.” 

At the end of the exhibition, Abou-Ghazy, together with Othman, Badawy and Megahed, honoured the artists by granting them certificates of appreciation. 

One of the exhibitors comments on her paintings in the background (Photo: Nader Habib)

Part of the cartoons showed at the exhibition (Photo: Nader Habib)

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