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Dr. Sima Samar Named to Transition Cabinet in Afghanistan

Announcement made in Bonn, December 5th.

Dr Sima Samar has been appointed deputy prime minister and minister responsible for Women's Affairs in the power sharing council that will take over on Dec. 22 and run the transitional government in Afghanistan.

MONTREAL - 5 DECEMBER 2001 – Dr Sima Samar, who is the winner of Rights & Democracy's annual human rights prize, has been appointed deputy prime minister and minister responsible for Women's Affairs in the power sharing council that will take over on Dec. 22 and run the transitional government in Afghanistan.

"It's a very positive thing that women have a role in this interim government; it will be no easy task but at the same time it is not difficult to see and identify the great needs facing women in Afghanistan," Dr. Samar said in a statement today from Edmonton, where she is speaking as part of the cross-Canada tour organized by Rights & Democracy.

Dr. Samar acknowledged that it will not be easy to accomplish this task: "We will need a great deal of support and solidarity from women all over the world because the needs of Afghan women are so great. I hope that the women of Afghanistan will accept me in this new role as worthy of representing their needs and interests; it is a task I have not been elected to do. I hope I will be able to live up to their expectations and be able to deal with at least some of their wounds."

The international jury of the John Humphrey Freedom Award selected Dr. Samar last summer in recognition of her outstanding work to promote the rights of Afghan women and girls. Through her organization Shuhada, Dr. Samar runs four hospitals and 10 clinics in Afghanistan and a further hospital in Quetta, Pakistan. Her schools in rural Afghanistan are attended by more than 20,000 students; and more than 1,000 others attend her school in Quetta.

Dr. Samar will receive the award on Monday, December 10, International Human Rights Day, at a ceremony in Montreal. There will be a news conference earlier at 11 a.m. at Rights & Democracy, 1001 boul. de Maisonneuve East, Suite 1100 in Montreal.