Head of Afghanistan's Human Rights Commission, Dr. Sima Samar. She was appointed to the position in July. Previously, she served as the country's first Minister for Women's Affairs, appointed by the interim Afghan government. Dr. Samar is an internationally renowned feminist and human rights activist. Samar defied the Taliban and continued to operate schools for girls and health clinics in Afghanistan's provinces and refugee camps in Pakistan. Samar was born in Ghazani, Afghanistan, and is a Hazara, one of the most persecuted of the ethnic minorities.

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