Sima Samar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sima Samar
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سیما سمر
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Samar in 2017
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| Minister of Women's Affairs of Afghanistan | |
| In office December 2001 – 2003 |
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| President | Hamid Karzai |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Habiba Sarabi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 February 1957 Jaghori, Ghazni, Kingdom of Afghanistan |
| Nationality | Afghan Hazara |
| Awards | Ramon Magsaysay Award Right Livelihood Award |
Sima Samar (Dari: سیما سمر; born on February 3, 1957) is a brave doctor and activist from Afghanistan. She is known for her work in human rights, especially for women. Sima Samar was once the Vice President of Afghanistan. She also served as the Minister for Women's Affairs from 2001 to 2003.
She led the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) for many years. From 2005 to 2009, she was a special expert for the United Nations. Her job was to check on human rights in Sudan. In 2012, she won the Right Livelihood Award. This award recognized her long and courageous work for human rights. She focused on women's rights in a very challenging part of the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sima Samar was born in a place called Jaghori in the Ghazni Province of Afghanistan. This was on February 3, 1957. She belongs to the Hazara ethnic group. In 1982, she finished her medical degree at Kabul University.
After medical school, she worked as a doctor in a government hospital in Kabul. However, she soon had to leave for her own safety. She went back to her hometown of Jaghori. There, she helped many people in remote areas who needed medical care. She also became the head of the human rights commission in Afghanistan.
Sima Samar's Career Journey
In 1984, Sima Samar's husband was arrested by the government. She and her young son had to leave Afghanistan. They went to live in neighboring Pakistan as refugees. In Pakistan, she worked as a doctor at a hospital for refugees.
She saw that Afghan refugee women had very little healthcare. This made her want to help. So, in 1989, she started the Shuhada Organization and the Shuhada Clinic in Quetta, Pakistan. This organization worked to provide healthcare for Afghan women and girls. It also trained medical staff and offered education. Over the next few years, more clinics and hospitals were opened in Afghanistan.
Political Work and Challenges
After living as a refugee for more than ten years, Sima Samar returned to Afghanistan in 2002. She joined the new government led by Hamid Karzai. She first served as Deputy President. Then, she became the Minister for Women's Affairs. She was the sixth woman to become a Cabinet Minister in Afghanistan. She was also the first Minister for Women's Affairs since the 1970s.
She had to resign from her job because she faced threats. She was harassed for questioning some strict Islamic laws, especially sharia law. This happened after an interview she gave in Canada. During a big meeting in 2003, some religious conservatives even compared her to Salman Rushdie.
Sima Samar led the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) from 2002 to 2019. In 2010, she also started the Gawharshad Institute of Higher Education. This institute quickly grew and attracted many students. In 2019, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed her to a special panel. This panel focused on helping people who had to leave their homes inside their own country.
Sima Samar has always spoken out for women's rights. She believes women should not be kept hidden from the public. She also speaks against wearing the burqa, a head-to-foot covering. This was forced on women by some groups in Afghanistan. She also pointed out that many women in Afghanistan suffer from weak bones. This is often because they don't get enough sunlight or good food. Wearing the burqa can make this problem worse.
Awards and Recognition
Sima Samar's work has been recognized around the world. She is one of the main people featured in a 2004 documentary called Daughters of Afghanistan. This film shows her work as Minister of Women's Affairs. It also shows the challenges she faced.
She has received many international awards for her work. These awards honor her efforts for human rights and democracy. Some of her notable awards include:
- 1994 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership
- 1995 Global Leader for Tomorrow from the World Economic Forum
- The 1998 100 Heroines Award in the United States
- The Paul Grüninger Human Rights Award in 2001
- The Voices of Courage Award in 2001
- The John Humphrey Freedom Award in 2001
- Ms. magazine's Woman of the Year in 2001
- International Human Rights Award in 2002
- Freedom Award in 2002
- The Perdita Huston Human Rights Award in 2003
- Profile in Courage Award in 2004
- Peace Prize of the City of Ieper (Ypres) Belgium in 2008
- Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award in 2008
- Honorary Officer of the Order of Canada in 2009
- Geuzenpenning in 2011
- Right Livelihood Award in 2012
- Mother Teresa Awards for Social Justice in 2012
- Honorary Doctorate from Salem State University in 2013
- Finalist award of CDN$25,000 for the Allard Prize for International Integrity in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Sima Samar para niños
