Zulaykha Shihabi was born in Jerusalem in 1903. In 1921, she formed the first Palestinian women's union to oppose the British Mandate. In 1936, she contributed to the establishment of the Palestinian Arab Women's Union (PAWU) in Jerusalem. In 1950, she established PAWU's Medical Dispensary for Caring for Pregnant Women in addition to a childcare centre. She later established a kindergarten and a centre for teaching embroidery and sewing for girls. She co-founded the "al-Makassed Islamic Charitable Association" in Jerusalem and contributed to the establishment of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the president of PAWU. She also established a home for the elderly in Jericho, and continued her national and charitable activities and her work as president of PAWU in Jerusalem, until she died in 1992.

This collection includes personal and family photographs of Zulaykha Shihabi, documenting her pioneering role since the early 1930s. It also documents the most important visits she made during her work in the Arab Women's Union, and the social events she attended, such as the memorial ceremony of Khalil Sakakini.