Sheikha Moza, Queen of Qatar. Courageous
politician, businesswoman and mother of seven children. She was destined to stay at
home and wear a burqa, but she did not put up with this state of affairs. Sheikha Moza
broke all stereotypes about oriental women. How did the prisoner's daughter become the
most powerful woman in the East? How did she manage to outshine her husband, become a fashion
icon and save 10 million children worldwide?
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Over the last couple of decades, Qatar has
become one of the most liberal Arab countries. This has especially affected Qatari women,
who now have the right to vote, drive a car, and dress less strictly than in neighboring
Muslim countries. They are now able to hold high positions in government on an equal
footing with men. And not only the male ruler is behind this miraculous transformation of the
country, but also his amazing wife, Sheikha Moza. That's why in 2007 Forbes magazine included her in
the 100 most influential women on the planet. So how did she do it? Let's start at the beginning.
Moza bint Nasser was born on August 8, 1959, in the coastal city of Al Khor in northern
Qatar. Her father was a successful businessman and politician who opposed the current
ruler. He called for a fair division of wealth among all residents of the country.
He was imprisoned for his opposition views. After his release in 1964, he moved his
family to Kuwait for fear of persecution.
Moza's father played a key role in shaping
her daughter's personality. He taught Moza not only to respect Muslim traditions,
but also to constantly learn and develop. Her father wanted his children to grow up to be
educated people and sent them to Great Britain.
After graduating from school abroad, Moza returned
to her home country to get a higher education. It was a risky move, given her background and
the treatment of female students in Qatar. But Moza was not afraid of difficulties.
At 18, she entered the Qatar University. And soon after, she had the meeting
that defined the rest of her life.
A smart and pretty student attracted the attention
of the Crown Prince of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. However, it was not easy to win her
heart, because their fathers were bitter enemies. But Moza realized that Hamad was very different
from the ruling sheikh, he had more progressive views and also wanted to change his country. Their
common interests brought them closer together. And when the Crown Prince proposed to the daughter
of her father's enemy, she couldn't refuse.
So Sheikha Moza became part
of the royal family of Qatar. In the next years, she learned all the details of
palace etiquette, gave birth to seven children and even made friends with Hamad's two other wives. It
seemed that Moza became one of those Muslim women who are fated to spend their lives behind the
back of her husband. But it wasn't like that.
First of all, Moza continued her studies. She
graduated from five universities in different fields! Even then, the Crown Prince began
to distinguish Moza from his other wives: he admired her wisdom, courage, and hard work.
Moreover, Hamad even began to listen to her opinion, which is highly unusual for Arab
families. Many historians and journalists believe that Moza played an important
role in what happened in Qatar in 1995.
At the time, the public support rating of
Qatar's ruler, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani, was shaken. So his son decided to take the moment
to lead the country to prosperity. In the summer of 1995, when the sheikh went on vacation to
Switzerland, his son Hamad declared himself ruler of Qatar. It was a "bloodless revolution"
that opened a new page in the state's history.
When Khalifa bin Hamad found out about
the coup, he publicly disowned his son and made an unsuccessful attempt to return
power. He lived in exile in France for many years and was able to return to Qatar only
in 2004 after reconciliation with his son.
The new ruler of Qatar, Hamad, introduced
many economic and social reforms and approved a new constitution. He has engaged
in increasing the production of natural gas. This turned Qatar into the country with the
highest per capita income in the world.
When Hamad came to power, his wife, Sheikha
Moza, founded the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, which
she has headed for more than 25 years. Thanks to this foundation, Qatar has
opened branches of world universities and ensured access to education for all Qataris.
Sheikha Moza became a UNESCO Special Envoy for
Education in 2003. She also created the 'Education Above All' foundation, which has helped 10 million
disadvantaged children receive an education.
Sheikha Moza has visited many poor
countries. In Bangladesh, where there are constant floods and the population is very
poor, "floating schools" have been realized. They serve the dual purpose of serving as a school
bus, and a classroom for learning. The children were incredibly happy to learn. After all,
their parents didn’t have such an opportunity!
In the Gaza Strip, she saw the hard
life of people with constant shooting and parents worrying about their children
every time they go to school. In Kenya, she visited a refugee camp where
168 children between the ages of 6 and 20 were being educated in a single
classroom with no floor and no walls.
For all these children and their parents,
Sheikha Moza was a ray of light in the dark. This amazing woman gave them opportunities
they could never have dreamed of.
Gradually, Sheikha Moza became one of the most
influential public figures of the East and received many prestige awards. She accompanied
her husband to international meetings and even made solo trips abroad, which the Qatari
royal family women could never afford.
In the Arab world, this woman is both admired and
annoyed. None of the wives of the royals appeared as often in public as Moza. Her elegant style and
refined taste have charmed European designers. And Muslims never stop resenting the fact that
she wears figure-enhancing dresses and covers her head with a turban, exposing her face and neck.
Although many women in the Arab world see her as an absolute style icon. Her closet includes
outfits by Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Valentino and other global brands. She designs her
own fashion looks, and doesn’t use a stylist.
Sheikha Moza, as a wise woman, took care of her
future in advance. As long as her husband led the country, she knew she was safe. The heir to the
throne was Hamad's eldest son by his first wife. Moza couldn’t allow her years of work to be
threatened. So, she insisted that her husband change the candidacy of the future successor. In
fact, Moza persuaded him to make their son Tamim the Crown Prince. And the sheikh did take such
an incredible step to please his beloved wife.
In 2013, Hamad abdicated in favor of
Tamim and left the political arena. However, Sheikha Moza still continues to serve
her country and the international community. There is no doubt that her son listens to
his mother as much as his father did.
Political analysts say she has managed to do
something incredible: to create a de facto matriarchy in a patriarchal country. After her
husband retired and passed power to his son, she is still considered one of the most powerful
women in the country and in the world.
How do you feel about Sheikha Moza? Do you
admire her or do you find her annoying?
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