Women in the professional world. The beginnings

The creation of universities drove women out of the professional world, with the exception of midwives, which in most European countries continued to be the exclusive domain of women. It was not until the early 20^th century that women began to gain professional status with specific skills, mainly in the fields of midwifery and teaching. In the 1870s, the first women entered Spanish universities, in the Faculty of Medicine. Martina Castells and Dolors Aleu were the first women to become medical doctors in Spain, in 1882, after having had to overcome all manner of obstacles. Then in the 20^th century, the number of female university students began to slowly increase, given that possessing a university qualification did not guarantee access to professional practice. The professional associations and legislation obstructed this for some time.

Cycle: Lectures on the History of Women’s Work in Catalonia, 18th-20th century

Organized by: Residence for Researchers