Princess Basma bint Talal of Jordan

Background

Basma's father became King of Jordan two months after she was born as a result of the assassination of her grandfather King Abdullah I in Jerusalem. King Talal was forced to abdicate as King for health reasons in 1952, when Basma was one year old. He lived on until 1972. Her mother was Queen Zein al-Sharaf (1916–1994). After her father's abdication, her older brother Hussein (1935–1999) ascended the throne, and her mother was queen regent until Hussein came of age in 1953.

Education

Basma was educated at Ahliyyah School for Girls in Amman, then in England at Benenden School (where she was a friend of Princess Anne) and University of Oxford, where she read Modern Languages.

In 2001, she was awarded a DPhil degree by Oxford University for a thesis entitled Contextualising development in Jordan: the arena of donors, state and NGOs.

Marriage and career

Basma first married Colonel Timoor Daghistani in Amman on 2 April 1970. They had two children: Farah Daghistani and Ghazi Daghistani. In the late 1970s they were divorced. Basma went on to marry Walid al-Kurdi in Amman on 14 April 1980, and they also had two children: Saad al-Kurdi and Zein Al-Sharaf al-Kurdi.

Since the late 1970s, Basma has worked to promote human development, gender equity and children's charities. Through forums that include the United Nations she contributes to the global debates on health, education, population and the environment.

Appointments

Founder of the Queen Alia Jordan Social Welfare Fund (QAF)

President of the Arab Association for Women and Development (AWAD)

President of the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW)

President of the Jordanian Association for Boy Scouts and Girl Guides

President of Mabarrat Um al Hussein

President of Goodwill Campaign

Chairperson of the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development

President of Save The Children-Jordan (SCJ)

President of the Jordanian National Forum for Women (JNFW)

Honorary President of the General Federation of Jordanian Women (GFJW)

President of the National Committee for Women's Affairs

Member of Board of Trustees for the Higher Population Council

Member of the World Health Organization's Adolescent Health Programme Scientific and Technical Advisory Group, 1991–1993

Honorary Human Development Ambassador of the United Nations Development Programme since 1993

Member of the World Health Organization Global Commission on Women's Health, 1994

Title, styles and honours

Title

11 May 1952 – present: Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Talal of Jordan

Honours

Jordan: Knight Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance, Special Class

Austria: Grand Cross of the Order for Services to the Republic of Austria

Brunei: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Most Esteemed Family Order of Brunei, Special Class

Iranian Imperial Family: Recipient of the Commemorative Medal of the 2,500-year Celebration of the Persian Empire

Japan: Paulownia Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown

Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic

Sweden: Member Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star

Awards

Jordan: Honorary Person for the International Year of Volunteers plus 10 - 2001

Indonesia: Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws of the As-Syafiiyah Islamic University

Japan: Dr. Jushichiro Naito International Childcare Award

United Kingdom

England

Reading: Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws of the University of Reading

Oxford: Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College

Scotland

Edinburgh: Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

United Nations: Woman of the Year 1995 of the Arab Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Fourth World Conference on Women

UNESCO: Recipient of the UNESCO Golden Anniversary Commemorative Medal

United States

Massachusetts

Northampton: Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws of the Smith College

World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts: World Citizenship Award