Most members of the BAUW received their education in Bulgaria at institutions like Sofia University, the Arts Academy, or the Music Academy. One third of the members held doctoral degrees, and most were proficient in foreign languages, maintaining strong connections with women activists and intellectuals abroad. About 60% of the members were married, while the rest were either single, widowed, or divorced.
The association aimed to create better opportunities for professional women in Bulgaria. Its members participated in international events, such as the International Federation of Women with University Education. For example, in July 1926, Zhivka Dragneva attended the Fourth Congress of the Federation in Amsterdam as a delegate. In 1926, members of the Australian Association of Women with University Education visited Bulgaria, and in 1928, Prof. Gledich, the chairwoman of the International Federation of University Women, visited Bulgaria and met with professors at Sofia University and Ministry of Education officials Holidays Bulgaria.
Formation of the Lawyers’ Section
The first section of the BAUW, the Lawyers’ Section, was created in 1928. It became the largest group within the association, with about 150 members during the 1940s. The section focused on the challenges women faced in pursuing a career in law. Women were allowed to study law at Sofia University starting in the academic year 1902/1903, with 507 women graduating by 1946. However, despite this, women lawyers were not permitted to serve as defense lawyers or judges before the communist regime came to power in 1945. This restriction was not because of constitutional law or court rulings, but because of patriarchal traditions and male-dominated interests.
The Lawyers’ Section was led by respected jurists who were recognized internationally. Key figures included Maria Girginova, who was elected in 1930 to the Council of the International Federation of Women Magistrates, and Velisslava Radulova, who specialized in commercial law.
No comments:
Post a Comment