Jehan Sadat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jehan Sadat
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| جيهان السادات | |
Sadat in 1995
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| First Lady of Egypt | |
| In role 15 October 1970 – 6 October 1981 |
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| President | Anwar Sadat |
| Preceded by | Tahia Kazem |
| Succeeded by | Suzanne Mubarak |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jehan Safwat Raouf
جيهان صفوت رؤوف 29 August 1933 Cairo, Kingdom of Egypt |
| Died | 9 July 2021 (aged 87) Cairo, Egypt |
| Spouse | Anwar Sadat |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents | Safwat Raouf Gladys Cotterill |
| Alma mater | Cairo University |
Jehan Sadat (born Safwat Raouf; 29 August 1933 – 9 July 2021) was an important Egyptian human rights activist. She was the First Lady of Egypt from 1970 until 1981. Her husband, Anwar Sadat, was the President of Egypt.
As First Lady, Jehan Sadat worked hard to improve laws for people's rights. She especially helped women in Egypt. Some new laws, called the "Jehan Laws," gave women important rights. These included the right to receive money for child support and to have custody of their children if they got divorced.
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Early Life and Family
Jehan Sadat was born Jehan Safwat Raouf in Cairo, Egypt. She was born on August 29, 1933. Her father, Safwat Raouf, was an Egyptian surgeon. Her mother, Gladys Cotterill, was an English music teacher. Jehan was the first girl and third child in her family.
She was raised as a Muslim, as her father wished. She also went to a Christian school for girls in Cairo.
As a teenager, Jehan was very interested in Anwar Sadat. She saw him as a local hero. She read news about his brave actions against the British rule in Egypt. Her cousin, whose husband worked with Sadat, told her many stories about him.
Jehan first met Anwar Sadat at her 15th birthday party. He had just been released from prison. He was in prison for his political activities.
They got married on May 29, 1949. Her parents were not sure about the marriage at first. Anwar was 30, and Jehan was 15. He did not have a job at the time. Later, Anwar Sadat became a key member of the Free Officers Movement. This group led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. They overthrew the king of Egypt and Sudan.
As First Lady of Egypt
For 32 years, Jehan Sadat strongly supported her husband. He became the President of Egypt. They had three daughters, Noha, Jihan, and Lobna, and one son, Gamal.
Jehan Sadat became First Lady of Egypt in 1970. She used her position to help many people in her country. She became a role model for women everywhere. She helped change how people around the world saw Arab women in the 1970s. She also did a lot of volunteer work. She helped people in need through non-governmental groups.
Helping Others and New Laws
Jehan Sadat was very important in changing Egypt's civil rights laws. This happened in the late 1970s. These new laws were often called "Jehan's Laws." They gave women many new rights. For example, women gained rights to alimony (money from a former spouse) and to have custody of their children after a divorce.
After visiting injured soldiers in 1967, she started the al Wafa' Wa Amal (Faith and Hope) Rehabilitation Center. This center helps disabled war veterans. It offers medical care, rehabilitation, and job training. The center gets donations from all over the world. Now, it also helps children who cannot see well. It even has a famous music and choir band.
She also helped create other important groups. These include the Talla Society, which helps women in the Nile Delta become self-sufficient. She also helped start the Egyptian Society for Cancer Patients, the Egyptian Blood Bank, and SOS Children's Villages in Egypt. SOS Children's Villages gives new homes to orphans in a family setting.
She led the Egyptian group at the UN International Women's Conferences. These were held in Mexico City and Copenhagen. She also founded the Arab-African Women's League. As an activist, she attended and spoke at many conferences worldwide. These meetings focused on women's issues, children's well-being, and peace.
On October 6, 1981, her husband, Anwar Sadat, was killed. This happened during a military parade in Cairo. This event ended his presidency and her time as First Lady. She had been First Lady for almost 11 years.
Education and Teaching
Jehan Sadat earned a BA degree in Arabic Literature from Cairo University in 1977. She then got a MA in Comparative Literature in 1980. In 1986, she earned her PhD in Comparative Literature from the same university.
After finishing her studies, Sadat became a teacher. She taught at the Cairo Artist and Performance Center.
Later Life and Passing
Jehan Sadat was a senior fellow at the University of Maryland, College Park. This university also has a special program named after her husband, the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development.
She wrote an autobiography called A Woman of Egypt. It was published in 1987. She also wrote poetry in Arabic using a different name. Her second memoir, My Hope for Peace, came out in 2009.
Jehan Sadat passed away on July 9, 2021, at 87 years old. Before her death, she had been fighting cancer. After a special state funeral in Cairo, she was buried next to her husband. Her grave is at the Unknown Soldier Memorial.
Awards and Recognitions
Jehan Sadat received many awards from Egypt and other countries. These awards were for her public service and her humanitarian work for women and children. She also received more than 20 honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities around the world.
In 1993, she received the Community of Christ International Peace Award. In 2001, she won the Pearl S. Buck Award. After she passed away, the Egyptian President awarded her the Order of Perfection. It was also announced that a major road in Cairo, the Al-Firdous axis, would be named after her.
Important Roles
- Egypt's First Lady from 1970 to 1981
- First woman to lead the People's Council of Munofeyya Provincial governorate
- Visiting professor at American University, University of South Carolina, and Radford University in the United States
- Professor of international studies at the University of Maryland since 1993
See also
In Spanish: Jehan Sadat para niños
