Arab Women by First Name N - R

 
Nabiha Gueddana Tunisian

Politician and Professor of Medicine

  • Secretary of State for Social Advancement 1989-92
  • Secretar of State for Women's Affairs and the Family 1992-3
  • Professor of Preventative and Social Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tunis 1993-4
  • President and Director-General of National Office of the Family and Population, Ministry of Health 1994-

The International Who's Who of Women 3rd ed. Europa Publications: London, 2002 p.222

http://www.washington-report.org/backissues/1196/9611072.htm
Nadia Al-Gindi

Egyptian

b .1940

Actor

  • Egypt's best paid female star known for her belly dancing, and seductive gestures and clothing
  • first role in Jamila al-Jaza'iriyya /Jamila the Algerian (1958) and first starring role was in the biography Bamba Kashar (1974)
  • usually plays femme fatales and social climbers but later in life played patriotic and courageous heroines
  • films include al-Batniyya (1980), al-Khadima/The servant 91984), Muhimma Fi Tall-Abib/Mission in Tel Aviv (1992), al Jasusa Hikmat Fahmi/The spy Hikmat Fahmi (1994) and Imra'a Hazat Arsh Misr/A woman shook Egypt's Throne (1995)

Source: Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film ed. Oliver Leaman London: Routledge, 2001 p.111

 
Nadia Saikali

Lebanese

1936-

Artist

  • educated at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts, National School of Fine Arts (Paris), and Grande Chaumiere Academie
  • Professor of Painting, Academy of Fine Arts 1962-74 and Institute of Fine Arts, University of Lebanon 1965-74
  • Scholarship to study art of mural tapestry, Paris 1974-6
  • group and solo exhbitions internationally 1960-73

The International Who's Who of Women 3rd ed. Europa Publications: London, 2002 p.503

Naima Akif

Egyptian

1932-1966

Actor and dancer

  • circus artist, dancer and lead actress in 22 films
  • one of the most talented film dancers of her era
  • often appeared in light musical comedies, many of which were directed by her husband Husain Fawsi
  • usually played a poor but talented performer who wanted to become famous and was caught in a romance
  • most successful films were Lahalibo (1949), Baba Aris/Daddy as a Bridegroom (1950), Fatat al-Sirk (Circus Girl) 1951, tamr Hinna/Tamarind (1957) and Baya'it al-Gara'id/The Newspaper Vendor

http://www.belly-dance.org/naima-akef.html

http://www.joyofbellydancing.com/bdstars.htm

Source: Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film ed. Oliver Leaman London: Routledge, 2001 p.111
Najat Maki

Emirati

b. 1956

Artist

  • educated at College of Fine Art, Cairo, (M.A)
  • first woman to be awarded a government scholarship to study art outside the UAE
  • 1997 became first artist from the UAE to gain a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture
  • exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Sudan, Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Germany, United States, Spain, Italy, Russia, Japan and France since 1986
  • works in mixed media on canvas and sculpture
  • teaches art at the Dubai Women's Association and at the National Youth Theatre and Arts workshops
  • works as an art supervisor for the Ministry of Education

Lloyd, Fran, ed. Contemporary Arab Women's Art: Dialogues of the Present. London: WAL (Women's Art Library), 1999. Print.

Naila Al Moosawi

 Emirati

Air Traffic Controller

  • educated at Aviation College, Dubai
  • first female air traffic controller in UAE
  • first female site manager at ENOC
Nawal Barakat Abu Rmeilieh

Jordanian

b.1937

Humanitarian

  • Voluntary work including establishment of schools, playgrounds, road maintenance, and developing jobs for young people.

Source: The International who's who of women 2002 London: Europa Publications, 2002

Nawal El Moutawakel

Moroccan

1962

Athlete (Hurdles)

  • educated at Iowa State University (USA) 1983-
  • dominated national and regional 100 and 400m hurdle competitions in the early 1980s
  • won Gold medal at Olympic Games in Los Angles 1984
  • first arab woman to win an Olympic Gold medal
  • first Moroccan to win an Olympic Gold medal
  • retired from competition 1987 after a knee injury
  • sprint and hurdle coach in Morocco
  • organized first women's road race in Casablanca in 1993
  • became member of the executive board of the International Amateur Athletic Federation (track and field) 1995
  • became member of the International Olympic Committee 1998-

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nawal_El_Moutawakel

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030206/2003020606.html

International Encyclopedia of Women and Sports ed. Karen Christensen et al. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001 p.362 (entry = El Moutawakel, Nawal)

Nawal El Saadawi

Egyptian

b.1931

Writer, feminist, sociologist, medical doctor

  • 1955 graduated from University of Cairo with degree in psychiatry.
  • becomes Egypt's Director of Public Health
  • 1972 publishes "Women and Sex". This highly controversial work results in her dismissal from the Ministry of Health, from the post of Chief Editor of a health journal, and from her position as Assistant General Secretary in the Medical Association of Egypt
  • 1973-76 researched women and neurosis in Ain Shams University
  • 1977 publishes most famous work "The Hidden Face of Eve"
  • 1979-80 appointed as United Nations Advisor for the Women's Program in Africa and the Middle East
  • 1981 formed the Arab Women's Solidarity Association
  • 1981 imprisioned and books banned
  • 1983 publishes "Memoirs from a women's prison" an account of her imprisonment under Anwar Sadat
  • 1992 moved to United States
  • 1993-96 Writer in Residence at Duke University, and taught at Washington State University

http://www.nawalsaadawi.net/bio.html

Faqir, Fadia, ed. In the House of Silence: Autobiographical Essays by Arab Women Writers. Reading, UK: Garnet, 1998. Print. p. 111-118 (DWC collection PJ7252.2.I5 1998)

Valassopoulos, Anastasia. Contemporary Arab Women Writers: Cultural Expression in Context. London: Routledge, 2007. Print. p. 31-54. (DWC collection PJ7525.2.V35 2007)

The International Who's Who of Women 3rd ed. Europa Publications: London, 2002 p.160

Nazli Madkour

Egyptian

1949

Artist

  • educated at University of Cairo and American Univeristy (Cairo)
  • Economic expert for Industrial Development Center for Arab States
  • Published Egyptian women and artistic creativity 1989

http://wwol.is.asu.edu/madkour.html

The International Who's Who of Women 3rd ed. Europa Publications: London, 2002 p.355

Nazli Gad El Mawla

Egyptian

1928 - 2001

Doctor

  • educated at the University of Cairo, M.D 1961
  • pioneer of oncology in Egyptian medical field
  • 1970 she founded the Department of Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Institute, Egypt
  • professor of Oncology 1977- 1989

http://www.inctr.org/publications/2001_v01_n04_s03.shtml

The International Who's Who of Women 3rd ed. Europa Publications: London, 2002 p.194
Nejoud Boodai

Kuwati

1982?

Fashion Designer

  • Educated at The American College (London)
  • Founded Nejoud Boodai Fashion Design Ltd, London, 1995

The International Who's Who of Women 3rd ed. Europa Publications: London, 2002 p.69
Nour Al Houda Karfou Syrian

Athlete

  • 2001 General Secretary of the Syrian Olympic Committee (1983-2000), was awarded the Olympic Order by the IOC. She is the first woman in the Arab Region to gain this honour.

http://www.canada2002.org/e/progress/worldwide/chapter3_asia.htm

Nuha Mohammed Safar

Emirati

b. 1980

Business woman

  • Head of Events and Promotional Campaigns, Foreign Relations Department, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
  • Graduated from Higher Colleges of Technology in Business Adminstration.
  • Part of the team that organized the first Dubai Summer Surprises campaign
  • Youngest section head at DCCI.

Source: Zahra Al Mulla - DWC

Raja Easa Al Gurg

Emirati

b. 1953

Business woman / Teacher

  • Graduated from Kuwait University in 1977 with degree in English Literature
  • First worked at the Ministry of Education, UAE as a teacher then as a deputy head mistress
  • 1990 she began work for her father's Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group
  • Managing Director now responsible for 29 companies and 3000 employees
  • President of the Business Women's Committee under the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/03/07/10195447.html

http://www.ameinfo.com/69312.html

Rakhshan Banietemad

Iranian

b. 1954

Film maker

  • educated at Tehran University's Dramatic Arts College
  • 1979-1986 mades several short films and worked as a planning manager and assistant director on a number of feature films
  • her feature films include Kharj az mahdudeh/Off-Limits (1987), Zarde-eQanari/Canary Yellow (1989), Bany-ye Ordibhesht/ The May Lady (1997).
Randa Habib

Jordanian/French

1952-

Journalist

  • Educated French Lycee, Rio de Janerio and University of Beruit
  • Correspondent of Agence France Press
  • Director and Head AFP Office, Amman 1987-
  • Correspondent Radio Monte Carlo 1988-

The International Who's Who of Women 3rd ed. Europa Publications: London, 2002 p.226

Rania al Abdullah

Palestinian

b. 1970

Queen of Jordan

  • Born in Kuwait
  • Graduates with Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from American University in Cairo in 1991
  • Worked in banking and information technology
  • Married King Abdullah of Jordan on June 10 1993
  • 4 children - Hussein, Iman, Salma, Hashem
  • Involved in charity work, especially the Jordan River Children's Project established in 1995
  • First arab woman to launch a Child Abuse Prevention Project
  • President of the Jordan Society for Organ Donation
  • Head of Jordan Blood Disease Society and International Patron of the Osteoporosis Foundation
  • Honorary Doctorate from University of Exeter 2001

The International Who's Who of Women 3rd ed. Europa Publications: London, 2002 p.466

http://www.queenrania.jo

Rasha Al Sabah

 Kuwaiti b.1950

Politician and educator

  • Graduated University of Birmingham, and Yale University
  • 1985-91 Vice Rector Kuwait University
  • 1989- Under Sectretary Ministry of Higher Education
  • Named International Woman of the Year for 1996-1997 by the International Biographical Center (IBC) in Cambridge

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/14_01_02/friday/info2.shtml (audio)

Rima Farah

Jordanian

b. 1955

Artist

  • educated at Cambridge School of Art, U.K.
  • exhibited in solo and group exhibitions since 1984 in London, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Japan, USA, Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon
  • works in etching and monprint

http://wwol.inre.asu.edu/farah.html

Lloyd, Fran, ed. Contemporary Arab Women's Art: Dialogues of the Present. London: WAL (Women's Art Library), 1999. Print.

Rima Khalaf Hunaidi

 

 Jordanian

Politician

  • educated at American University of Beruit and Portland State University (Ohio) Ph.D
  • Minister of Industry and Trade 19?
  • Deputy Prime Minister 19?
  • Senator of Jordanian Upper House
  • Member of Jordanian Economic Consultative Council
  • Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States 2000 -

The International Who's Who of Women 3rd ed. Europa Publications: London, 2002 p.260
Rose Ghurayib

Lebanese

 

Writer

  • educated at the American University of Beruit
  • teacher of Arabic and History
  • Editor and Consultant for Al Raida, quarterly newsletter of Institute for Women's Studies in the Arab World
  • writer of books, poems and plays for children
  • publications include The Harem Window, Sisterhood is Global, Adwa' Ala al-Haraka al-Nissaiya al-Mua'asirah

The International Who's Who of Women 3rd ed. Europa Publications: London, 2002 p.204
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