Sima Samar

Sima Samar is a globally renowned women’s and human rights activist and doctor from Afghanistan. She established the Shuhada Organization that operated more than one hundred schools and dozens of hospitals and clinics in the country. Samar served as Minister of Women’s Affairs of Afghanistan and as Chair of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission. She was also formerly a member of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement. Her many honours include the Right Livelihood Award, the Profile in Courage Award and the Ms. Magazine Women of the Year Award. Samar is currently a visiting scholar at Tufts University’s Fletcher School in the United States where she is based.