Sima Samar-human rights advocate and activist

July 23, 2022

Sima Samar was appointed as a member of the United Nations Secretary-General’s-High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement in 2019. She is the Special Envoy of the Afghanistan President and State Minister of Human Rights and International affairs. She also serves as a member of the UN Secretary’s High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation. She is a medical graduate and continued to provide medical treatment to patients throughout the remote areas of central Afghanistan. In Pakistan, she engaged in extensive work to provide protection and safety, shelter, healthcare and education for Afghan refugees’ children, girls and women. In Afghanistan, she continued advocating training and service programs and worked to help restore the rights of women. She improved their economic, political, social and legal status. She established the non-profit Gawharshad Institute of Higher Education (GSIHE). The goal of the institute was to provide training in fields such as political science, political sociology, economic planning, administration in education and opportunities for women, poor and marginalized students. She established Shuhada Organization and Shuhada Clinic in Quetta Pakistan. It was devoted to the provision of health care to Afghan women. In 2012 the Organization operated more than one hundred schools and fifteen clinics and hospitals. She served in the Interim Administration of Afghanistan where she served as Deputy President and then as Minister for Women’s Affairs from 2001 to 2003. She is the head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC). One of the most important reports AIHRC published is “Call for Justice”. It examines past human rights crimes and abuses in the country.

Samar also serves as UN’s Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Sudan. Various aspects of her works have been recognized over the years through several awards. She is among the four main subjects in Sally Armstrong’s documentary Daughters of Afghanistan in 2004. She is the recipient of 1994 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership. She also received Global Leader for Tomorrow from the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. She received the 1998 100 Heroines Award in US. She also received:

  • The Paul Grunninger Human Rights 2001
  • The Voices of Courage Award New York 2001
  • The John Humphrey Freedom Award Rights and Democracy Canada in 2001
  • Women of the Month, Toronto Canada in 2001
  • Best Social Worker Award Quetta Pakistan 2001
  • Ms. Magazine Women of the Year Award USA 2001
  • International Human Rights Award Washington 2002
  • Freedom Award, Women’s Association for Freedom and Democracy 2002;
  • Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, 2002;
  • Silver Banner Award Italy 2002,
  • Women for Peace Award, Italy 2002,
  • The Perdita Huston Human Rights Award 2003;
  • Profile in Courage Award 2004
  • Peace Prize of the City of Ieper (Ypres), 2008
  • Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award, 2008
  • Honorary Officer of the Order of Canada, 2009
  • Geuzenpenning Dutch Award, 2011
  • Right Livelihood Award, 2012
  • Mother Teresa Awards for Social Justice in November 2012
  • Honorary Doctorate from Salem State University 2013
  • Don and Arvonne Fraser Human Rights Award by Advocates for Human Rights, 2009
  • Politikens Freedom Prize, 2009,
  • Dutch Geuzen Medal March the Netherlands 2011
  • Tipperary Peace Prize 2011,
  • Stephen J. Solarz Award for Commitment to Peace, Justice and Security, 2011
  • John F Kennedy’s Profile in Courage award 2004
  • 2004 Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights Paul Schiller Stiftung Award 2004,
  • Doctor of Laws (hon.) University of Alberta, Canada 2004,
  • Doctor of Humane Letters (hon.) Brown University, Rhode Island USA 2005
  • Doctor of Laws (hon.) University of Carleton, Canada 2010.

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