Empowerment of women is one of the greatest challenges facing the Arab world, former Egyptian first lady Jehan Sadat told a group of 1,100 in Baltimore Nov. 30. Attending the event were members of the McDaniel Women’s Leadership Network (MWLN) who also participated in a facilitated discussion on “Are Women Changing Power or is Power Changing Women?” led by Dr. Christianna Nichols Leahy, associate professor of political science and international studies.

Sadat’s keynote address was delivered at the annual Women of Excellence luncheon organized by Network 2000, a nonprofit organization created in 1993, to promote the advancement of women in business. President Joan Develin Coley is a member of Network 2000.

Madame Jehan Sadat is best known as the widow of the late Nobel Peace Laureate and Egyptian President, Anwar Sadat. As is the case with most women married to prominent historic men with larger than life personalities, Madame Sadat came into political life as a partner with her husband. Madame Sadat was the first wife of a Muslim leader to have her picture in the newspaper, to travel out of the country, and to become active in political causes in her own right. At age 44, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Arabic language, a master’s degree and doctorate from Cairo University, and became active in women’s rights issues in Egypt on her own.

She created the Talla Society in the 1970s, even before her husband became president. A woman’s emancipation, education, and training society, this organization trains women in various handicrafts and pays tuition for nearly 1,000 secondary school and university women students. Her involvement in the development of this organization and the other women’s advocacy associations quickly made Madame Sadat the symbol of women’s rights, not only at home in Egypt, but throughout the Arab World.

In 1976, when the bill she championed passed the Egyptian parliament as the Egyptian Civil Rights Act, the entire country knew it as “Jehan’s Law.” It was the first such law in Egypt, and certainly in the Arab World, that broadened divorce rights for women in Egypt. Shortly thereafter she was elected chairperson of her village council for five consecutive years.  She then founded the Arab/ African Women’s League to advocate on behalf of women throughout North Africa and the Middle East.

While attending to the myriad causes, Madame Sadat raised three daughters and a son who have blessed her with 11 grandchildren, about whom she shared several humorous anecdotes throughout her speech.

Currently Sadat splits her time working in Egypt and here in the States in her role as an associate resident scholar at the University of Maryland. According to Dr. Leahy, “Madame Sadat is, as the United Nations introduced her when she was invited to speak before the General Assembly, a ‘messenger of peace.’”

At the post-luncheon event also held at the Hyatt-Baltimore, Alumnae Susan Fleishman’65, MWLN Program chair, and Barbara Payne Shelton ’70, MWLN co-chair, were introduced and President Coley praised the MWLN for its programs that seek to engage College alumnae and friends in the current life of the campus and provide special opportunities for personal and professional growth.

One of MWLN’s first efforts involves endowing a scholarship at McDaniel that will provide educational opportunity to a young woman who has demonstrated leadership potential, but who might not otherwise attend the College. McDaniel Women’s Leadership Network scholars would also participate in activities within the Network, and benefit from the relationships they develop with other members.

To date, more than $16,000 of the $26,000 has been raised with a Dec. 31 deadline in order to establish the endowment and award an initial scholarship of $1,000 in Fall 2007. To learn more about the MWL contact Dudley Keller, Major Gifts at dkeller@mcdaniel.edu.

Ultimately, our vision includes awarding a full, four-year scholarship each year, wrote Shelton. “As Madame Sadat has shown us, change doesn’t happen all at once, but in steady, determined steps.”