Marjane Satrapi

Overview

Marjane Satrapi born Rasht, Imperial State of Iran November 22, 1969. Satrapi is a French-Iranian graphic novelist, cartoonist, illustrator, film director and children's book author whose graphic novels explore the gaps and the junctures between East and West. Her best-known works include the graphic novels Persepolis and Chicken with Plums. Satrapi has become an ambassador for her native country and a spokeswoman for greater freedom there and a voice against war and for cross-cultural understanding. Her use of graphic novels to tell autobiographical stories with political facets to them makes her messages especially accessible and affecting while bringing serious attention to the graphic-novel form.

Quotations

“It's fear that makes us lose our conscience. It's also what transforms us into cowards.”

Nawal El Saadawi

Overview

Nawal El Saadawi born Kafr Tahla, Egypt October 27, 1931. Psychiatrist; physician; novelist; leading feminist. UN adviser on women, 1979; imprisoned 1981, exiled 1988; led women's peace delegation to stop Gulf War, 1991; awarded North-South Prize, 2004.

Quotations

"The US army went to Iraq for the oil, it didn't go for human rights. It killed thousands of people for the oil. It's a colonial war, it's an imperialist war. They did it for humanitarian reasons!—this makes me laugh." (BBC, Sept. 8, 2003; photo Becky's Kaleidoscope)

Jehan Sadat

Overview

Jehan Sadat born Cairo, Egypt August 29, 1933. First lady of Egypt who encouraged peace with Israel, which won her husband a Nobel Prize; professor of comparative literature; PhD; poet; delegate to UN Women's conferences Copenhagen and Beijing’ first winner of Community of Christ Peace Award 1993.

Quotations

"I am dying to see peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians and the Syrians and the Lebanese so we can live as one family." (CNN, March 26, 2009; photo Wikipedia)

Zainab Salbi

Overview

Zainab Salbi born Baghdad, Iraq September 24, 1969. Iraqi-American humanitarian. Founded Women for Women International to help women victims of war, 1993; awarded Hilton Humanitarian Prize, 2005.

Quotations

"War is the color of earth as it explodes in our faces, the sound of a child pleading, the smell of smoke and fear. Women survivors of war are not the single image portrayed on the television screen, but the glue that holds families and countries together. Perhaps by understanding women, and the other side of war. . . we will have more humility in our discussions of wars. . . [P]erhaps it is time to listen to women's side of history." (The Other Side of War)

Yara Sallam

Overview

Yara Sallam born Heliopolis, Cairo November 24, 1985. Egyptian human rights lawyer. Arrested and sentenced to 3 years for nonviolent protest at Presidential palace, Cairo, 2014. Promoted human rights in The Gambia. Received North Africa Human Rights Defender Shield Award, 2013.

Quotations

"This sense of belonging to one community and one continent, Africa, is the same way I feel about feminism, that we are in the same struggle together, and that solidarity is much needed in this struggle. Being an African Feminist to me means that I understand the difference that we have as individuals but still work collectively for one purpose, respecting everyone’s culture, and cherish the way we all complement each other." (feministwire, July 1, 2014; photo amnesty.fr)

Karla Schefter

Overview

Karla Schefter born Allenstein, E. Prussia March 25, 1942. Founded Chak-e-Wardak hospital, Afghanistan, 1989; founded Committee for Promotion of Medical & Humanitarian Aid, 1993. One of 1000 female Nobel Peace Prize nominees, 2005.

Quotations

“Over every mountain there is a path.” (World People's Blog, Jun. 5, 2007; photo Lippoldsberg cloister)

Sanaa Seif

Overview

Sanaa Seif born Cairo, Egypt December 20, 1993. Egyptian student activist in Tahrir Square revolution that overthrew Mubarak 2011; daughter of activist Laila Souief, sister of Mona Seif, brother Alaa Fattah. Arrested for violating protest law, 2014; sentenced 3 years, pardoned 2015; two prison hunger strikes 2014 2½ months; 2013 documentary The Square was first Egyptian film nominated for Academy Award.

Quotations

“Wake up! Whether we protest in the street or stay at home, it’s all a disaster. We are in danger and frankly, I would rather be pulled in resisting than defeated and staying home.” (MADA, June 29, 2014; photo madamasr.com)

Huda Sha'arawi

Overview

Huda Sha’arawi born Minya, Egypt June 23, 1879 (d. 1947). Pioneering Muslim feminist. Poet and author; Egyptian nationalist. Organized largest women’s protest against British rule, March 1919. Led women’s pickets of Parliament, January 1924.

Quotations

“[I]f men’s ambition has created war, the sentiment of equity, innate in women, will further the construction of peace.” (Leila Rupp, “Constructing Internationalism,” American History Review, Dec. 1994, p. 1552; photo kalamu.com)

Doria Shafik

Overview

Doria Shafik Regai born Tanta, Egypt December 14, 1908 (d. 1975). Egyptian feminist leader; editor; founded Daughters of the Nile, 1949; protest in parliament, 1951; 10-day fast for life brought vote, 1954.

Quotations

"No one will deliver freedom to women, except woman herself." (Feb. 1951, in al-Ahram, March 1, 2001; photo IFOR nonviolence library)

Ghada Shahbender

Overview

Ghada Shahbender born Cairo, Egypt March 27, 1963. Egyptian pre-Tahrir organizer; poet. Co-founded anti-corruption reform group Shayfeencom ("We are watching you"), 2005; first recipient of James Lawson Award for nonviolence, 2012.

Quotations

Deep hurt is deep love
love equals forgiveness too:
I now forgive you

(Haiku for love and forgiveness; photo fsi.stanford.edu)

Manal al-Sharif

Overview

Manal al-Sharif born Mecca, Saudi Arabia April 25, 1979. Human rights activist. Arrested for driving on 30th birthday. Organized campaign to release Southeast Asian women jailed for minor offenses, 2011. Awarded Havel Prize for Creative Dissent, 2012.

Quotations

“Change in any society starts with women. . . Women are so powerful, but they don’t recognize their power.” (Carlton Now, Jan. 31, 2013; photo mediander.com)

Nasrin Sotoudeh

Overview

Nasrin Sotoudeh born Gilan, Iran May 30, 1967. Human rights defender of prisoners including Nobelist Shirin Ebadi; arrested 2010 for spreading propaganda and harming state security; held in solitary, sentenced 11 years; 4 week hunger strike 2010; 49-day fast 2012; Sakharov Prize 2012; freed 2013.

Quotations

“Of course I am optimistic for the future. I have no doubt that equality will prevail, because without equality you cannot have peace and love, and without peace and love, life is empty.” (Arseh Sevom, March 30, 2012; photo Int. campaign for HR)

Laila Soueif

Overview

Laila Soueif born London, England May 1, 1956. Egyptian math professor; active protester of human rights; mother of two activist daughters Sanaa and Mona Seif, son Aala; leader of Tahrir Square revolution 2011; first demonstration as student Dec. 1971 against student arrests; university professors’ organization got less military control 2003; co-founded Egyptian Association against Torture 1993; protested repression at Mahalla 2008; physically intervened in arrests in revolution 2011.

Quotations

“There will be no way to govern this country unless there are radical changes that address the demands of the poor, the youth, and the most marginalized.” (Nicola Pratt interview, May 10, 2012, Jadaliyya; photo 3aan.com)

Fadwa Suleiman

Overview

Fadwa Suleiman born Aleppo, Syria May 17, 1970. Syrian actress and playwright who opposed armed resistance; produced play in Paris, “The Messengers of Love”.

Quotations

“This is the story of Syria, and the story of all nations that suffered wars.”

“[It is an] epic theatrical play that told the story of the Syrian Revolution from its nonviolent and hopeful beginnings, until the state of destruction, paralysis and utter loss.” (syriauntold, Feb. 22, 2014; photo Wikipedia)