Iqbal Baraka (Arabic: اقبال بركة, romanized: Iqbāl Barakah; born 1942) is an Egyptian journalist, women's rights activist, and writer. She served as editor in chief of the women's magazine Hawaa for over two decades. Baraka is known for her work to advance the role of women in Egyptian and Islamic society. She is considered "one of the most influential feminists in the Arab world.
In an interview discussing her role as a writer and feminist voice, Iqbal Baraka explains that she sees it as her responsibility to speak publicly about women's rights and social issues.
I take as my basic assumption that women are not simply the tools of fashion designers and manicurists, that women have real and serious interests and concerns we must deal with.
While discussing her work as editor-in-chief of Hawaa magazine, Iqbal Baraka explained that she wanted women's journalism to address serious intellectual, social, and political concerns rather than only beauty and fashion.
There is no obstacle for a strong, qualified woman. There were none for me.
At a conference on Arab women journalists, Iqbal Baraka reflected on her own career and argued that capable women can succeed in professional fields when they have determination and qualifications.
I believe that I inherited the gift of the Arabic language from my father.
In an interview discussing her literary development, Baraka described the influence of her family background and credited her father with helping shape her appreciation of Arabic writing and language.
