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  Health, Development and Women

  Earl L. (Tim) Sullivan

  The seminar from which these papers flow was the product of many minds, multiple energies and much co-operation during the many months prior to its final implementation. The idea of a women's seminar oriented to the issues and concerns of contemporary Egyptian society was initially put forth in the fal I of 1974 to coincide with efforts that were developing on a national level in Egypt to commemorate 1975 as International Women's Year. It is with deepest gratitude that I extend special appreciation to Mrs. Marlene Michel Anawati, then a Post Master's Fellow in the Department of Sociology­Anthropology and Psychology. Her appointment by The Ministry of Social Affairs to the Special National Women's Committee for co­ordinating plans for Egypt's participation at the United Nations World Conference of the International Women's Year in Mexico City provided a meaningful link between the university and the national committee. Emanating from discussions with Mrs. Anawati and our col leagues was the decision to participate in these national activities through the vehicle of an Open University Seminar Serles focussing on women. In the spring of 1975 the first seminar series was initiated on the theme of the Egyptian Feminist Movement and its Implication on the changing status of women. Special thanks and acknowledgement must be given to the several eminent Egyptian women who so graciously and effectively participated in that first seminar: Dr. Aisha Rateb, ex-Minister of Soclal Affairs; Dr. Mouflda Abdel ·Rahman, lawyer and member of the Committee Studying Faml ly Law; Dr. Zelnab el Sobhy, ex Secretary General of the Women's Secretariat at the Arab Socialist Union; Mrs. Aziza Hussein, Permanent Representative on the United Nations Committee on the Status of Women; and Mrs Ceza Nabarawi, Co-Founder and Pioneer to the Egyptian Feminist Movement . Encouraged by the enthusiast ic response to our first endeavor, we began to formulate ideas tor another seminar series --this time linked more speciticaIIy to the theme of women and deveIopment. We were further guided by the resuIts of the Mexico City Meetings, during which a WorId PIan of Action was unanimousIy accepted. This plan provided a comprehensive backdrop or context within which to discuss specific issues relating to strategies tor women to participate in the development of their country. It was at this juncture that the efforts of Ms. Judith Granada­ Dewey came to deserve special recognition. Through discussions with her over informal investigations related to the status of health care avaivable to Egyptian women, it was decided that an appropriate theme for the 1976 seminar series would be the entire issue of women and health as resources for development.