Poet of the Valley Nawal Mehni said, “The Arab woman has harmonized her needs with developments in the cultural and industrial fields.”

Since her youth, Nawal Mehni has loved poetry and the Arabic language, desiring to study her native language to fulfill her poetic passion. However, a short delay led her from studying Arabic to studying philosophy and psychology, through which she discovered goodness, beauty, and truth. This broadened her view of the universe, blending philosophical study with her poetic talent and shaping her unique identity as a poet.

She combined poetry, philosophy, media work, and an interest in Egyptian and Arab women’s issues. After years of work and creativity, she confirms that a bright future awaits Arab women, provided they are committed to their practical and creative projects with dedication, sincerity, and perseverance.

In discussing the Arab woman, her future, paths to success, and the role of poetry and Arab media in achieving societal goals, Nawal Mehni was interviewed by the media committee of the conference “Contemporary Women’s Issues in the Writings of Reformers – Challenges and Solutions,” scheduled to take place from November 25-26 in Istanbul, Turkey, organized by the Union of Afro-Asian Universities in cooperation with various research and academic institutions.

Nawal Mehni believes that Arab women have managed to balance their needs with the developments in cultural, industrial, and technological fields. Society has been affected by these developments, and women have also benefited from them. They can continue to advance by utilizing communication tools to share their ideas and creativity everywhere.

However, she notes that there are still many tasks for women to accomplish. They are capable of competing in abilities and talents and are able to contribute.

Mehni says, “There are certainly some challenges that hinder the progress of Arab and Eastern women in general, despite their unprecedented successes throughout history since the pre-Islamic era.”

The poet lists challenges such as intolerance, misunderstandings of religions, restrictions on certain jobs, and the burden of managing both household and work without the husband’s help. To overcome these challenges, women need to persist in their careers and excel in their work.

She adds, “Women have proven their ability to balance family responsibilities, work, and societal roles, and reality confirms this. The role of women in public life cannot be denied or replaced.”

Wars and internal conflicts place a significant burden on Arab women, especially when the head of the family is preoccupied with conflicts, leaving the entire burden of the family on women. This causes them more trouble than they can bear. Ultimately, they are partners as citizens and are affected both psychologically and physically by their surroundings, potentially facing sacrifices as severe as death or losing family members, adding immense pressure on them.

Reformers Miss Change:
Many reformers and activists, such as Nursi, Qasim Amin, Al-Ghazali, and Al-Shaarawi, have written about women and their issues. However, according to Mehni, they lack the power to effect change or implement decisions. She continues, “Although contemporary women have gained many rights denied to their grandmothers, women in some Afro-Asian societies still face discrimination and are prevented from holding certain positions or receive lower wages despite their success in various fields.”

She adds, “There is no doubt that the writings of reformers have a significant impact and play a crucial role in highlighting women’s status, rescuing them from marginalization, and advocating for a fair view to benefit society from their abilities.”

Women’s Issues Conference:
Regarding the “Contemporary Women’s Issues” conference, she views its organization as an important step for contemporary women, a good idea, and praises the organizers. She adds, “This reflects recognition of women’s roles and concerns and acknowledgment of their contributions to society.”

Nawal Mehni expects that the research and opinions presented at the conference will play a significant role in addressing women’s issues and the challenges they face.

She emphasizes the need to turn conference recommendations into reality, meaning implementing those recommendations. Many conferences present good ideas, valid opinions, and respected recommendations, but unfortunately, they remain unimplemented and unused. This is not the fault of the conference organizers, as the responsibility for implementation lies with decision-makers and authorities.

To translate the conference outcomes, she stresses the importance of directing the results to decision-makers for formulation into executive guidelines, thus achieving the conference’s intended goals. “The conference should provide ideas, visions, and propose solutions, while the task of implementation falls to governments and decision-makers.”

Regarding the role of the Union of Afro-Asian Universities, Mehni confirms its vital role in addressing and discussing societal issues in all their forms and providing possible solutions through its academic members and experts in various fields. She believes the Union is well-positioned to take on this role and will play a leading part in highlighting and exploring issues that may not have been previously addressed in other conferences.

She relies heavily on the conference to address critical issues, thanks to the dedication of its members and organizers.

Philosophy Unleashes Potential:
Mehni’s awareness was shaped over many years of academic study and fieldwork, which fueled her passion. Her positions on various debated topics in Arab societies have been expressed through poetry, prose, and journalism.

The poet Nawal Mehni recounts how her failure to join the Western Languages department at university and her subsequent enrollment in another department unexpectedly provided her with a holistic view of the universe and life. “From my early youth, I loved poetry and adored the Arabic language. In university, I wanted to join the Arabic language department, but I was late in filling out the application form. By the time I did, the department was full, and the dean decided not to accept new applications.”

Faced with the dean’s decision, Mehni chose the Philosophy and Psychology department, which provided her with insights she hadn’t anticipated. “Studying philosophy greatly benefited me, providing insights into truth, goodness, and beauty.” Philosophy offers a comprehensive view of the universe, and every subject in life can be a matter of philosophy as it represents the intellectual aspect of any issue.

For Nawal Mehni, poetry awakens human emotions, stirs feelings, and brings people closer to the essence of life. It engages the human side, making them resonate with the poem’s subject. She adds, “Poetry is connected to life and resides in people’s consciousness. It contains wisdom, lessons, and examples, and is the Arab’s canon. We remember the Prophet’s saying, ‘Indeed, there is magic in eloquence, and poetry contains wisdom.'”

She notes how some lines of poetry have changed individuals’ destinies or historical events. Thus, the more sincere a poet is, the more impact they have on the audience. “Sincere love inspires sincere words.”

Purposeful Media:
Nawal Mehni’s experience with media is “rich.” She worked as a poet and program producer for Egyptian radio and television, creating cultural and literary programs as well as programs for women and children on North Upper Egypt Radio and Channel 7 in Minya.

After years of media work in Egypt, Mehni believes that the media environment in the Arab world needs much review, specifically private media. “The media, which enters every home and affects all classes, should serve society as a whole, not just a specific group focused on material gain without regard for societal and national issues.”

She argues that media service providers should be subject to precise standards due to the gravity of their positions. The state media should be maintained, and the entire media landscape should not be left to private media alone. Additionally, attention should be given to the Arabic language and addressing issues with objectivity and complete freedom to reach accurate opinions, which benefits women and society as a whole.