Arab Women by First Name S - Z

Lebanese

b. 1950

Artist

• educated at St Martins College of Art and Design, London
• exhbited works solo and in groups in Lebanon, Uk and France
• 1995 Artist in Residence, Small Mansions Art Center, London

Lloyd, Fran, ed. Contemporary Arab Women’s Art: Dialogues of the Present. London: WAL (Women’s Art Library), 1999. Print. p.173-176. (DWC collection N6260.C65 1999)

Sabiha Khemir

Tunisian

b. 1959

Artist

• educated at London University (PhD in Islamic Art and Archaeology) and University of Pennsylvania, Post Doctoral Fellow in the History of Art Departmen
• exhibited works in France, United Kingdom, and United States.
• illustrative work includes
• 1994 The Island of Animals Quartet, London
• 1978 Le Nuage Amoureux, Maspero, Paris
• 1975 L'Ogresse Maspero, Paris
• 1993 published first novel Waiting in the future for the past to come

Lloyd, Fran, ed. Contemporary Arab Women’s Art: Dialogues of the Present. London: WAL (Women’s Art Library), 1999. Print. p.136-137, 195-198. (DWC collection N6260.C65 1999)

Sahar Al Hawari

Sportswoman

• established the Egyptian Association for Women's Football 1994
• organized first Arab Women's Football Tournament in 1997
• president of first Arab Women's Football League
• first woman to be member of Egyptian Football Association
• her committment to sport has led her to become a sporits commentator, sports manager and referee

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/1999/454/sp2.htm

Salima Ghezali

Algerian

1958 -

Journalist

• editor in chief of La Nation weekly newspaper 1994 - 1996, 2001 -
• La Nation was closed by the Algerian goverment 1996 -2001 and Salima was arrested and detained
• International Press Club Award 1996
• 1997 awarded the Sakahrov Prize by the European Parliament
• 1989 founded the Association for Women's Emancipation,
• created the feminist magazine "Nyssa"
• one of the founding members of "Women of Europe and of the Maghreb", of which she is vice-president.

International Who’s Who of Women. 6th ed. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. p.312 (DWC collection REF CT 3202.I58 2008)

Salima Ghezali. (n.d.) Wikipedia. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salima_Ghezali

http://www.newint.org/issue306/interview.htm

Lebanese

1916

Artist

• educated at American University of Beruit, National School of Fine Art and Grande Chaumiere Academie (Paris)
• held the first exhibition of abstract art in the Arab world (1947)
• Exhibitions 1947, Paris 1951, Beruit 1951-62, retrospective 1974
• Court of Justice prize 1963
• Ministry of Tourism Prize 1966
• Alexandria Biennale Prize 1968
• National Prize of Sculpture 1971
• Sursock Museum Prize 1965, 1966, 1967, 1973

http://www.srchoucair.com/srchoucair.html

Palestinian

1923-

Activist

• educated Beruit Arab University
• Founder of Arab Union Society 1950
• El-Bireh 1952
• Secretary-General of Union of Palestinian Women in Jerusalem 1965
• Founder and President of Society of In'ash El Usra, a training center for women, El Bireh 1965
• Head of Palestinian delegation to UN Conference on the Status of Women 1995
• President of Union of Voluntary Women's Societies
• published From the Intifada to the State 1988

Samiha Khalil. Wikipedia. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samiha_Khalil

International Who’s Who of Women. 3rd ed. London: Europa, 2002. Print. p.295 (DWC collection REF CT 3202.I58 2002)

Samia Gamal

real name Zaynab Khalil Ibrahim

Egyptian

1924-1994

Actor

• actress and dancer
• first film Mamu' al-Hubb/Forbidden Love (1942)
• first starring role was in Ahmar Shafayif/red Lipstick (1946) in which she played a femme fatale
• usually played a beautiful but innocent woman
• often teamed in comedic style with the singer Farid al-Atrash
• films include "Afrita Hanim/Lady Ghost (1949), Akhir Kidba/The last lie (1950), Ma Ti'ulsh Li-hadd/Don't tell Anybody (1952), Nashala hanim /Lady Pickpocket (1953) and Sukkar Hanim/Mrs Sugar (1960)

Samia Gamal. Wikipedia. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samia_Gamal

Leaman, Oliver, ed. Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film. London: Routledge, 2001. Print. p.114 (DWC collection PN1993.5.A65 C66 2001)

Samira Makhmalbaf

Iranian

1980 -

Film director /actor

• first appeared on film in The Cyclist in 1987
• studied film at the Makhmalbaf Film House and began directing films and videos
• films include The Apple 1998, and
• Takhte Siah (Blackboard) 2000 which was the winner of a Jury Prize, Cannes Film Festival

http://www.makhmalbaf.com/persons.php?p=4

Samira Makhmalbaf Wikipedia. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samira_Makhmalbaf

International Who’s Who of Women. 6th ed. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. p.548 (DWC collection REF CT 3202.I58 2008)

Shadia (real name Fatima Ahmad Kamal)

Egyptian

b. 1931

Actor and singer

• first appeared in film in 1947 in al-Aql Fi Ajaza/The mind on vacation
• orignally typecast as innocent young girls in love but by 1960s was playing in light comedies and dramas such as Mirati Mudir 'am/My wife is a general director (1966), al Mar'a al Majhiula/The Unknown Woamn (1959) and al-Liss wal-Kilab/The thief and the dogs (1962)
• last film was La Tas'ahni Man Ana/Don't ask me who I am (1984)

Shadia. Wikipedia. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadia

Leaman, Oliver, ed. Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film. London: Routledge, 2001. Print. p.123 (DWC collection PN1993.5.A65 C66 2001)

Iranian

1946-

Researcher

• educated at University of Tehran
• Demographics researcher and lecturer
• contributes to Insitute for Social Studies and Research

International Who’s Who of Women. 6th ed. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. p.440 (DWC collection REF CT3202.I58 2008)

Emirati

b. 1952

Author

• educated at UAE University
• director of Al Gubaiba secondary school
• pioneer of the short story in the UAE
• manager of the Emirates Organization of Women Writers
• Awarded Most Successful Teacher prize by Sheik Khalifa bin Zaued in 1997
• short stories include Soul's Broken, Night's Sadness, Departure, The North Wind, Al Raheel

Sheikha Lubna Khalid Al Qasimi

Emirati

b. c.1959

Business woman

• Managing Director of Tejari.com
• Graduated with a Bachelor of Science from California State University, and an MBA from American University of Sharjah.
• Held the position of Dubai Branch Manager of the General Information Authority of the UAE Federal Government
• Held the position of senior manager of information systems at Dubai Ports Authority 1993-2000
• Heads the Dubai e-government team responsible for implementing electronic initatives in the public sector
• 2000 - Named IT Woman of the Year by Datamatrix

Lubna Khalid Al Qasimi. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved September 29, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubna_Khalid_Al_Qasimi

International Who’s Who of Women. 6th ed. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. p.694. (DWC collection REF CT3202.I58 2008)

Sherihan (Sherihan Ahmed Abd El Fatah Al Shalakani)

Egyptian

b. 1965

Singer

• member of a family famous in the entertainment field, the Khorshids.
• Dancer, singer, actress, playwright

Sherihan. n.d.Wikipedia. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherihan

Iranian

b. 1947

Lawyer / Human Rights Activist /

• first Muslim woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
• graduated with law degree from University of Tehran
• 1975-79 President of the city court of Tehran
• activist for refugee rights, and rights of women and children.
• founder and leader of the Association for Support of Children's Rights in Iran.
• author of The Rights of the Child. A Study of Legal Aspects of Children's Rights in Iran (Tehran, 1994), published with support from UNICEF, and History and Documentation of Human Rights in Iran (New York, 2000)
• awarded Nobel Peace Prize in October 2003 for her work on promoting peace and for supporting the right to free speech and political freedoms to all

Shirin Ebadi. n.d. Wikipedia.Retrieved September 2, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirin_Ebadi

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3181992.stm

Soad Hosny

Egyptian

b. 1941

Actor

• first film Hasan Wa Na'ima/Husan and Na'ima (1959)
• acts in a large variety of films from musicals such as Khalli Balak Min Zuzu/Take care of Zuzu to dramas such as Zawjatti Wa-l-Kalb/My wife and the Dog (1971) and Maw'id Ala al-Asha/Rendezvous for dinner (1981) and is considered one of the most talented Egyptian actresses
• latest film was al-Ra'i Wa-l-Nisa/The Shepherd and the woman (1991)

Soad Hosny. Wikipedia (n.d.) Retrieved September 2, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soad_Hosny

Leaman, Oliver, ed. Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film. London: Routledge, 2001. Print. p.117. (DWC collection PN1993.5.A65 C66 2001)

Suzanne Mubarak

Humanitarian, First Lady of Arab Republic of Egypt

• graduated from American University of Cairo in 1977 with a Bachelors in Political Science and in 1982 with a Masters in Sociology
• married to President Hosni Mubarak
• active in the fields of development for women and children, health care and literacy

Suzanne Mubarak. (n.d.)Wikipedia. Retreived September 2, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Mubarak

Tahiyya Carioca

real name Badawiyya Muhammed Karim

Egyptian

1915-1999

Actor

• actress and belly dancer trained at Badia Masabni's variety theatre
• one of best and most beautiful dancers of her time
• 1935 appeared in her first film Dr Farhat
• 1942 first starring role in Uhib al Ghalat/I love the wrong
• most important early film Lu'bat al-Sitt/The Lady's game (1946) established her persona
• most often played the mu'alima - the popular mistress, courageous, independent, yet virtuous and traditionally oriented, but went on to play queens, and mothers towards the end of her career
• films include al-Futuwa/the thug (1957), Shabab Imra'a/Youth of a Woman (1956), Wa Ishlamah/ Oh Islam (1961), Khalli Balak Min Zuzu/Take care of Zuzu (1972), Li-l-Hubb Qissa Akhira /love's Last Story (1986)

http://www.belly-dance.org/tahia-carioca.html

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/1999/448/cu1.htm

Taheyya Kariokka. (n.d.) Wikipedia. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taheyya_Kariokka

Leaman, Oliver, ed. Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film. London: Routledge, 2001. Print. p.113. (DWC collection PN1993.5.A65 C66 2001)

Kuwaiti

b. 1952

Artist

• educated at College of Fine Arts, Cairo and Arts Insitute, Surikov, Moscow, M.A in Graphic Book Illustration and Design
• Exhibited in solo and group exhibitions since 1985 in Kuwait, Baghdad, Atlanta, Washington, Bahrain, Syria, Casablanca, Amman , Beirut, Sharjah, Cairo, Budapest,, Athans, London, Paphos.
• works in acrylic, oil on canvas and monoprints
• author of children's books

http://wwol.inre.asu.edu/al-baqsami.html

Thuraya Al-Baqsami. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 13, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thuraya_Al-Baqsami

Lloyd, Fran, ed. Contemporary Arab Women’s Art: Dialogues of the Present. London: WAL (Women’s Art Library), 1999. Print. p.226-227, 158-161. (DWC collection N6260.C65 1999)

Umm Kulthum

Egyptian

1904 - 1974

Singer and actor

• known as the Kawakab al-sharq "Star of the Orient" and as al-sitt "the mistress"
• considered to be the most extraordinary and popular Egyptian singer of the 20th century
• appeared in 6 films begining in 1936 with Widad
• her best film is considered to be Sallama 91945) in which she appeared as a faithful and talented slave
• not a gifted actress and did not continue acting after 1947

http://edmund2.hiof.no/egypt/700/780/umKoulthoum/biography.html

Umm Kulthum. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 13, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umm_Kulthum

Leaman, Oliver, ed. Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film. London: Routledge, 2001. Print. p.125. (DWC collection PN1993.5.A65 C66 2001)

Algerian

1941-

Lawyer and Diplomat

• educated at University of Algiers and Institute of Sciences Politiques (Algeirs)
• lawyer 1967-76
• writer and feminist political journalist
• UNESCO official in Division of Human Rights and Peace specializing in Women's Rights 1979-

International Who’s Who of Women. 6th ed. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. p.833 (DWC collection REF CT 3202.I58 2008)

Youssra

Egyptian

b. 1955

Actor

• first film as Qasr Fi-l-Hawa'l/A palace in the air (1975)
• reputed to be best Egyptian actress of the modern era
• plays a variety of characters and styles
• 1990s she specialized in comedic roles including al-Irhab Wa-l-Kabab/Terrorism and the Kebabs (1992)
• Best Actress Award 'Golden Knight' of the Middle East Oscars 1999
• starred in "Hayat El Gohary", "Raafat El Hagan", and "Awan El Ward" and "Ayna Qalby" series for TV and performed play "Lama Papa Yenam" on stage

Leaman, Oliver, ed. Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film. London: Routledge, 2001. Print. p.125. (DWC collection PN1993.5.A65 C66 2001)

Zaha Hadid

Iraqi

1950-

Architect and Professor

• educated at American University Beruit and Architectural Association (London)
• completed architectural works include
• Vitra Furniture Co. (Germany) 1991
• Contemporary Art Center (Cinncinati, Ohio) 1998
• Mind Zone in Millenium Dome (London) 1999
• garden exhibition center (Weil am Rhein) 1999
• Professor Columbia University 1994, University of Illinois 1997, Bildene Kunst (Hamburg) 1997

http://www.zaha-hadid.com/profile.html

Zaha Hadid. (n.d.) Wikipedia. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaha_hadid

International Who’s Who of Women. 6th ed. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. p.347-348. (DWC collection REF CT3202.I58 2008)

Iranian

1954-

Anthropologist

• educated at Universities of Tehran and Bergan (Norway), and SOAS (London)
• Assistant Lecturer Inst of Middle East Language and Culture, University of Bergan 1986-7
• Dept of Social Anthropology 1992-5
• Publications Women's Everyday Religious Discourse in Iran (1993), Women's Islam: Religious practice among women in today's Iran (1996)

International Who’s Who of Women. 6th ed. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. p.433. (DWC collection REF CT3202.I58 2008)

Zaynab El - Ghazali,

Activist

• Founded the Muslim Ladies' Association 1936
• supported Hasan al-Banna founder of the Society of Muslim Brothers and backed his efforts to establish an Islamic state
• Muslim Women's Association dissolved by government in 1965
• jailed for political beliefs 1966-1971
• 1971 - active speaker and teacher of Islam

http://www.jannah.org/sisters/zaynab.html

Zainab Al Ghazali. (n.d.) Wikipedia. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zainab_al_ghazali

Zohra ben Lakhdar

Scientist - professor of molecular spectroscopy

• educated at University of Paris VI and Univeristy of Tunis
• Professor of Physics, University of Tunis 1992-
• Founder member of Tunisian Physics Society, Tunisian Astronomy Society
• Fellow of Islamic Academy of Sciences

International Who’s Who of Women. 6th ed. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. p.480. (DWC collection REF CT3202.I58 2008)