CAIRO — The world bade farewell Jan. 17 to the "Lady of the Arabic Screen" Faten Hamama, whose work as an actress focused on the image of subjugated Arab and Egyptian women, and expressed their concerns regarding the discrimination they suffered.

One of Hamama's most famous movies, “I Want a Solution,” led to the amendment of Egypt’s Personal Status Law, entitling Muslim women to file for a divorce. The movie boldly tackled what's now known as "khula" — a Muslim woman's right to seek a divorce from her husband for compensation — in Egyptian law.

Cairo witnessed two days of mourning for Hamama, who died at 83 after a period of illness. The Egyptian president issued a statement to Egypt and the Arab world, mourning her loss.

Her death stirred wide reaction across the Arab world. Morocco's King Mohammed VI issued a Jan. 18 statement mourning Hamama, and sent an official delegation to participate in the funeral at Cairo's Al-Hosari Mosque. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent delegates to offer condolences, while global media outlets devoted their arts pages to discuss Hamama’s career and how her films advanced women's rights.