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Cross-posted from Sour Duck
Madame Jehan Sadat spoke last night at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, California.
The social activist and professor addressed the sold-out auditorium on issues of poverty, literacy, education, equal pay, and legal reform - all issues she sees as crucial in achieving equality for women. She also listed "tradition" as one of the elements holding women back from achieving equal status with men and from participating fully in the public sphere.
Scholar Sadat also spoke of the legacy of her husband, President Anwar Sadat, who was President of Egypt from 1970 to 1981, when he was assassinated. She said of her husband, "He was a great statesman and a great visionary."
Madame Sadat spoke of her role as political activist and her role in changing the divorce laws of her country, a law now referred to as "Jehan's Law" in Egypt. This granted women a number of rights, such as alimony and custody of children in the event of divorce. Another project of hers was the S.O.S. Children's Villages in Egypt, which provided orphans homes.
As well as international women's rights, Sadat spoke on international peace, calling for the United States to take a more active leadership role in bringing Palestine and Israel leaders together in a peace accord. She cited President Jimmy Carter's work in this area.
The Lesher website notes, "Sadat was the first wife of a Muslim leader to have her picture in the newspaper, to travel outside her country and to take up public causes."
Professor Sadat is currently Associate Resident Scholar at The University of Maryland, College Park, where she helped establish the The Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development.
Further reading:
Jehan Sadat Wikipedia entry
Anwar Sadat Chair website Biography of Jehan Sadat
University of Maryland's short biography
Jehan Sadat website
George Kelly photo set, "Jehan Sadat in Walnut Creek"
The charity highlighted at this speaking event was Wardrobe for Opportunity, "a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization that provides professional clothing and career support to low-income jobseekers in the Bay Area."
Photo credit: Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts
Many thanks to George Kelly (Negrophile, All About George) for inviting me to this event.
Melinda Casino - Feminism & Gender
Sour Duck
