Fawzia Koofi is a politician and women’s rights activist in Afghanistan. She is a Member of Parliament in Kabul and also the Vice President of National Assembly. She became the first female Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament in the history of Afghanistan. Her political career started after the fall of Taliban. She started a campaign named as Back to school, where she promoted the right to education of girls. Koofi worked with UNICEF Child Protection Officer from 2002 to 2004. The aim was to protect children from violence, abuse and exploitation. She focused primarily on women’s rights. In 2009 she drafted a legislation of Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW). She serves as Chairperson of Afghanistan’s Women Civil Society and Human Rights Commission. Up till her election as MP, she has been working tirelessly in defending women’s rights in Afghanistan. She has advocated the improvement of women’s living conditions in Afghan jails. Koofi rose private funding for the contribution of girls schools in remote areas. In her memoir The Favored Daughter: One Women’s Fight to Lead Afghanistan into the Future, she tells her remarkable story through anecdotes.

Fawzia Koofi was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2009.