Behind every great man is a great woman, as they say. But who stands behind the world's dictators?
In good times and in bad, the ladies of the Dictators' Wives Club sure put up with a lot: corruption, political uprisings, and often other wives.
Some, like Rwandan First Lady Jeannette Kagame, use their position to advocate for important charitable causes in their nations.
Others, like Syrian president's wife Asma al-Assad, are pros at looking the other way and smiling for official Instagram photos.
For this list, we defined a dictator as a near-absolute ruler known for human rights abuses, restrictions on freedom of the press, and oppression of opposition.
Ana Paula dos Santos, wife of Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos
The first lady: A former fashion model, Ana Paula dos Santos knew her husband from her time as a flight attendant on the Angolan version of Air Force One. She now has a degree in teaching and law, and is a member of the International Steering Committee.
A diplomat once described the president and first lady as "a handsome couple, elegantly and expensively dressed, looking for all the world as though they're living in southern California." The first lady received a lot of flack from the public when she announced that her son would be attending the Portuguese school in Luanda because of the "bad quality" of state education — something for which many people hold her husband responsible.
Her husband: During President dos Santos' 34 years in office, he has consolidated all political power under his control. Countless atrocities, including torture and mass murders, occurred under his watch during a 27-year-long civil war. There are still reports of torture and repression of ethnic minorities going on in Angola today.
Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
The Queen Consort: Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa is the first wife of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Aside from being a devoted mother to their four children — one of whom is the crown prince — Ibrahim Al Khalifa is an outspoken activist for women's and children's rights, both in Bahrain and around the world, having addressed the U.N. General Assembly about these issues.
She serves as the head of the Supreme Council for Women in Bahrain, encouraging women to vote in the country, and is also the chief patron of the Society for Women and Children in Bahrain.
Her husband: The country has been run by the Al Khalifa dynasty since 1783. Hamad declared himself king in 2002, previously holding the title of Emir, meaning "commander." After an uprising against him in 2011, Amnesty International condemned the failure of the Bahraini government amidst "spiraling repression," including banning all public gatherings and rallies, revoking citizenship of those who speak out, and torturing both adults and children. In spite of this, Bahrain remains backed by support from the U.S.
Chantal Biya, wife of Cameroonian President Paul Biya
The first lady: Known as a trendsetter (there's even a Tumblr devoted to her famously tall hair-do), the first lady of Cameroon is very social and has met Michelle Obama, Paris Hilton, and, just this past September, the pope. Biya has been quoted as saying that her favorite European designers are Dior and Chanel, and many of the pieces in her wardrobe are custom-made.
Thirty-eight years her husband's junior, Biya is also a member of African Synergy, a club that comprises the wives of 22 of the continent's heads of state.
Her husband: President Biya has been in office for more than 30 years, and in 2008 removed restrictions on term limits so that he could run for office indefinitely. His state security forces have been accused of executing protestors and using other means of violence and oppression to prevent political opposition.
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