Women doctors against war – some pioneers

This article gives vignettes describing some key aspects of the medical, social and peace work of five women doctors prior to World War One - Anna Kuliscioff, Madeleine Pelletier, Aletta Jacobs, Alice Hamilton and Maria Montessori. Their activities gathered around feminist, political and social reform approaches in trying to combat the exploitation of working-class women, advocating for social and political equality, improving their education and in trying to reduce the phenomena of war and militarism. Because they were women, they faced considerable obstacles in pursuing their careers as doctors, but this is why they sympathized with the emerging feminist and socialist movements of their time and often played a leading role in them. Their attempts to prevent World War One, to bring about its early end, as well as their peace initiatives after 1918, can be seen as a logical continuation of their professional work: the prevention and alleviation of human suffering and misery. Their work as women, doctors and peacemakers can still be inspirational today.