A Nobel Peace Prize nominee, renowned human rights advocate and an identified global influential female figure, Sima Samar has dedicated her life to public service, humanitarian work. She graduated from Kabul University as a Medical Doctor in 1982 and worked in remote areas of Afghanistan before moving to Quetta, Pakistan, as a refugee for 17 years. There, Dr. Samar established a hospital for women and children, trained midwives and nurses, and founded the Shuhada Organization (www.shuhada.af).
In 2002, Dr. Samar became Afghanistan’s first Minister of Women’s Affairs and served as a Vice President during the interim administration. For 17 years, they led the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission as Chairperson. Dr. Samar also served as UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Sudan for four years and contributed to high-level panels established by the UN Secretary-General.