Muammar Gaddafi with one of his lady bodyguards. Cairo, 1994. Gaddafi walking alongside one of his famous female bodyguards, members of the elite all-women security unit often called the “Revolutionary Nuns.” Gaddafi began surrounding himself with female bodyguards in the 1980s. Officially, the idea was rooted in his political ideology: he claimed women should play equal roles in Libyan society, including the military. He also argued that male assassins might hesitate to attack a leader protected by women, making them a strategic layer of defense. But beyond security, the unit carried heavy symbolism. The women were carefully selected, trained in weapons, martial discipline, and loyalty to the regime. They often appeared in military uniforms, sunglasses, and ceremonial dress, becoming part of Gaddafi’s global image. Wherever he traveled from Africa to Europe to the Middle East their presence turned into a spectacle that reinforced his reputation as one of the world’s most unconventional and theatrical leaders. Supporters saw this as proof that Libya under Gaddafi promoted women’s visibility in public life. Critics, however, argued the guards were more propaganda than progress a visual symbol crafted to strengthen his personal cult of power rather than genuine gender equality. By the time of this 1994 visit to Egypt, Gaddafi had already ruled Libya for over two decades, surviving coups, sanctions, and international isolation. His rule would continue until 2011, when Libya’s uprising and NATO intervention brought his 42-year leadership to an end.