Miriam Nerma
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Mariam Nerma | |
|---|---|
| مريم نرمة | |
| Born | April 3, 1890 |
| Died | August 15, 1972 (aged 82) Baghdad, Iraq |
| Citizenship | Iraqi |
| Known for | Feminism advocacy and Journalism |
Miriam Nerma, also known as Mariam Raphael Romaya Nerma (Arabic: مريم نرمة; 1890–1972) was an Iraqi journalist and teacher. Born to a Chaldean Catholic Assyrian family from Tel Keppe, she found her passion for writing in Baghdad.[1] Her article, "To a Sect of Iraqis" (Arabic: الى طائفة من العراقيين), published in 1921, is considered the first article written by a woman to be published in a mainstream Iraqi newspaper.[1] She wrote several articles for a number of journals and newspapers before starting her own newspaper, "The Arab Girl", in 1937, which advocated for woman's rights and discussed their place in Iraqi society.[2][3]
Miriam was born in 1890 (or 1885, according to some sources [4]) as the sole girl among several brothers.[5] According to Miriam's biography, her mother encouraged her to dedicate herself to education. It was unusual for girls to finish school at the time, but Miriam completed primary school and enrolled in a high school in Basra. After returning to Baghdad, where her family lived, she found her passion for writing and began a personal journal.[2] She worked as a teacher and married her husband, Mansour Klousy, at the age of 23.[4]
First article
On 29 May 1921, an article written under the pseudonym "Chaldean Arab Iraqi" was published in the 11th issue, 4th volume of Dar Al-Salam newspaper. This article was later attributed to Miriam, who began writing under her own name few issues later. The article, titled "To a Sect of Iraqis", opens with a quote attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte: "If you want know the progress of a nation, look at it's women". In the article, the author argues that society can only progress with men and women working together.[5] An interview in 1969, Miriam claimed authorship for the article, which is considered to be the first paper written by a woman to be published in an Iraqi newspaper.[4]
