Today Marks Birth Anniv. of Jehan Sadat

Today, Aug. 29, marks the birthday anniversary of late Jehan Sadat, who passed away at the age of 80 in 2021.

She was an Egyptian human rights activist, the First Lady of Egypt from 1970 until her husband's assassination in 1981.

In 1933, Jehan was born to an Egyptian surgeon father, Safwat Raouf, and English music teacher mother, Gladys Cotterill. She was the loving wife of late President Mohamed Anwar Sadat.

Sadat dedicated her life to raising and promoting social justice and women’s rights in Egypt.

The former first lady is well known for her seminal works, such as the autobiography “A Woman Of Egypt,” and “My Hope for Peace,” about the Arab-Israeli conflict and the rise of Islamic extremism, which she said was contrary to the true spirit of the religion.

At the age of 15, Jehan married Sadat, who was a former army officer in 1949; moreover, he was twice her age and active in the fight against British occupation in Egypt.

Sadat took a series of senior positions in the government and after Nasser’s death in 1970 was elected president.

Jehan earned a BA in Arabic Literature at Cairo University in 1977. This was followed by a MA in Comparative Literature in 1980, and Ph.D. in Comparative Literature in 1986, both at the same university.

After completing her education, she became an instructor at the Cairo Artist and Performance Center.

The renowned human rights activist continued to campaign decades after her husband, President Sadat, was assassinated, on 6 October 1981, by terrorists, who condemned the 1978 Camp David Papers.