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# Friends of Sima Samar

We immortalize Dr. Sima Samar’s legacy through cinema. ​

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Who gets to dream? Sima Samar and Jamila Raqib on education, power and gender apartheid](https://rightlivelihood.org/news/who-gets-to-dream-sima-samar-and-jamila-raqib-on-education-power-and-gender-apartheid/#new_tab) - What does it mean to treat education as a form of resistance, especially when access to learning is denied as a means of control? In this exchange, 2012 Right Livelihood Laureate Dr Sima Samar and Jamila Raqib, Executive Director of the Albert Einstein Institution and legacy holder of 2012 Laureate Dr Gene Sharp, sat down for a candid, peer-to-peer conversation on how education is both weaponised and reclaimed in contexts of conflict and repression. Speaking directly to one another, they reflect on the rise of what Samar calls “education apartheid” and share urgent, decentralised strategies for keeping knowledge alive—from underground schools to civic education via mobile phones.
- [CMU's Center for Arts & Society presents an Afghan Dinner and a Reading: "Outspoken" with human rights activist Sima Samar](https://www.cmu.edu/osher/publications/weekly-essentials/2025/spring/cas-outspoken.html#new_tab) - Join CAS for a Reading and discussion with author and activist Sima Samar on Thursday, January 23rd, 2025 from 5:30-7:00pm in the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry, CFA 111.
- [Voices of Afghanistan Interview Series: ‘We have kept hope alive in the heart of darkness, waiting for the day when we can once again raise our voices and be present in society.’](https://www.jurist.org/features/2025/06/24/voices-of-afghanistan-interview-series-we-have-kept-hope-alive-in-the-heart-of-darkness-waiting-for-the-day-when-we-can-once-again-raise-our-voices-and-be-present-in-society/#new_tab) - In August 2021, the world watched as the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, sweeping away two decades of progress toward democracy, human rights and gender equality. While international headlines have since moved on to other crises, millions of Afghan women and girls continue to live under increasingly restrictive policies that have systematically stripped away their most fundamental rights.

## Pages

- [Home](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/) - FROM THE PRODUCTION Our team at Friends of Sima Samar filmed the sizzle for Ripples of Courage — a film inspired by the strength, resilience, and lifelong work of Dr. Sima Samar.Produced by Forty Girls Productions, this project shares a powerful story of courage, truth, and the impact one person can have in creating change.We’re
- [About Us](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/about-us/) - About UsTelling her story. Continuing her fight. Vision To inspire a more just, inclusive, and compassionate world by preserving and promoting the legacy of Dr. Sima Samar – Afghanistan’s enduring voice for human rights, dignity, and the empowerment of women and marginalized communities. Mission Friends of Sima Samar is a global community of advocates, artists,
- [Nilofar Turabi](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/nilofar-turabi/) - Nilofar Turabi Social Media Manager Nilofar Turabi is from Bamyan, Afghanistan. She is a student at Washington College, majoring in International Relations and Business Management. Nilofar won the International Rotary Youth Leadership Award, completed two marathons in Afghanistan, and was an ice skater back home. She is the president of the International Students Club and
- [Our Team](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/our-team/) - Javed Rezayee Founder & Executive Director Position Available! Director of Strategic Partnerships and Development Fatimah Hossaini Creative and Cultural Media Collaborator Dr. Mastoora Shafahi Community Engagement Director Malia Kiang Producer of Proof of Concept film Ripples of Courage Nilofar Turabi Social Media Manager Sakina Rasa Community Engagement Coordinator Jawed Nader Treasurer Fatima Foladi Researcher Sadaf
- [Home (old)](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/home-old/) - About Us A global team formed to support the making of a biopic feature film about the legendary women's rights and human rights champion Dr. Sima Samar. Friends of Sima Samar is an international community of supporters, artists, and advocates united around the creation of a feature film that tells the extraordinary story of Dr.
- [Allies in Courage](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-in-courage/) - Faces of Endorsements Dr. Shakardokht Jafari Award‑Winning Medical Physicist, Social Entrepreneur & Changemaker A pioneering medical physicist and recipient of the 2024 Innovator of the Year award, proudly supports the Friends of Sima Samar initiative to help bring this vital story to the world. Her invention of the micro-silica-bead DOSEmapper™ system delivers millimetre-accurate radiation-dose mapping
- [Dr. Mastoora Shafahi](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/dr-mastoora-shafahi/) - Dr. Mastoora Shafahi Senior Advisory Group & Community Engagement Director Dr. Mastoora Shafahi is the executive director of the Education and Health Organization for Afghanistan’s Women (EHOAW) and a prominent human rights advocate whose pioneering work has transformed healthcare and education in underserved communities. Hailing from a remote mountain province, she has dedicated over a
- [Contact](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/contact/) - GET IN TOUCHContact First Name Last Name Email Message SendThe form has been submitted successfully!There has been some error while submitting the form. Please verify all form fields again. Message Us Want to make a difference?Help us raise money for our humanitarian causesDonate
- [Contact (old)](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/contact-old/) - GET IN TOUCHContact Give us a call, email us, or come and visit us in one of our offices New York 123 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10160 929-242-6868 contact@info.com Paris Av. Des Champs-Élysées, Paris, 75008 555-242-8848 hello@info.com Chicago 5 Addison Street, Chicago, IL 20525 444-232-7799 info@contact.com First Name Last Name Email Message SendThe form
- [About Us (old)](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/about-us-old/) - About UsTelling her story. Continuing her fight. Vision To inspire a more just, inclusive, and compassionate world by preserving and promoting the legacy of Dr. Sima Samar – Afghanistan’s enduring voice for human rights, dignity, and the empowerment of women and marginalized communities. Mission Friends of Sima Samar is a global community of advocates, artists,
- [Dr. Shakardokht Jafari](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/dr-shakardokht-jafari/) - Dr. Shakardokht Jafari Senior Advisory Group A pioneering medical physicist and recipient of the 2024 Innovator of the Year award, proudly supports the Friends of Sima Samar initiative to help bring this vital story to the world. Her invention of the micro-silica-bead DOSEmapper™ system delivers millimetre-accurate radiation-dose mapping that is transforming radiotherapy outcomes and underpinned
- [Dr. Shakardokht Jafari (draft)](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/dr-shakardokht-jafari-2/) - Dr. Shakardokht Jafari BiographyDr. Shakardokht Jafari is one of Afghanistan’s pioneering, inspirational women scientists. She was born in 1977 (1356 in the Afghan calendar) in Daykundi province. Her childhood was shaped by war and insecurity, forcing her family to leave their homeland and seek refuge in Iran.Despite the hardships of refugee life, she never let
- [Friba Rezayee](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/friba-rezayee/) - Friba Rezayee Senior Advisory Group Afghanistan’s first female Olympian (judo, Athens 2004), Friba Rezayee is the founder and executive director of Women Leaders of Tomorrow (WLOT), a Canada-based nonprofit that matches high-achieving Afghan girls with fully funded high-school and university scholarships across North America while mentoring them through its GOAL—Girls of Afghanistan Lead—leadership-through-sport program. Under
- [Dr. Rahela Kaveer](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/dr-rahela-kaveer/) - Dr. Rahela Kaveer Senior Advisory Group Dr. Rahela Kaveer is Chair of the World Hazara Council and a fearless advocate for women’s rights, education, and social justice in Afghanistan. A visionary leader born in Mazar, she founded the Afghan Women Empowerment Organization, where she has provided hundreds of women with literacy, vocational training, and sustainable
- [Maryam Khalili](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/maryam-khalili/) - Maryam Khalili Web Design Lead Maryam graduated from New York University with a bachelor of science in computer science and a minor in interactive media - a combination that reflects her technical ability and creative curiosity. She is currently working as a data conversion senior associate at Cognizant. In her spare time, she practices Persian
- [Fatimah Hossaini](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/fatimah-hossaini/) - Fatimah Hossaini Creative and Cultural Media Collaborator Fatimah Hossaini is an Afghan-Tehran-born artist, award-winning photographer, and founder of the Mastooraat Organization. A powerful voice in art and advocacy, she is one of the youngest recipients of the Hypatia International Award and was named a Rising Talent and Youth Ambassador by the Women’s Forum in France
- [Javed Rezayee](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/javed-rezayee/) - Javed Rezayee Founder & Executive Director Javed Rezayee is an Emmy-winning filmmaker, an Emmy judge, and Founder & Executive Producer of Forty Girls Productions, a filmmaking company based in Massachusetts dedicated to advancing women rights, human rights, and minority rights by telling stories of trailblazers, change-makers, and iconic figures such as Dr. Sima Samar. Javed
- [Nahid Fattahi](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/nahid-fattahi/) - Nahid Fattahi Columnist Nahid Fattahi is a psychotherapist, writer, and activist specializing in holistic, culturally responsive care. Her work blends mental health, yoga, and self-compassion, with a focus on trauma-informed healing for refugee and immigrant communities. Through public speaking, storytelling, and her writing, she has become a powerful voice for Afghan women navigating identity, displacement,
- [Press](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/press/)
- [Featured Stories](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/featured-stories/) - Featured StoriesClick on the links to read important stories about Dr. Sima Samar Even in exile, Sima Samar fights and hopes for Afghan women's rights
- [Donor Dashboard](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/donor-dashboard/)
- [Donation Confirmation](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/donation-confirmation/)
- [Donation Failed](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/donation-failed/) - We're sorry, your donation failed to process. Please try again or contact site support.
- [Gallery](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/gallery/) - Moments foreverGallery We have gathered many beautiful moments during our journey Want to make a difference?Help us raise money for our humanitarian causesDonate
- [What We Do](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/what-we-do/) - A few words aboutWhat We Do Our projectsOur organization is involved in numerous projects eriam, eaque ipsa proident.Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste. EducationEducation programmes that lorem ipsum sed non mauris vitae erat auctor eu in elit feugiat.Proin
- [Events](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/events/) - Participate to ourEvents We organize events all around the globe talking about lorem ipsum 17 July, 2020Education Programmes that lorem ipsumLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis nec a odio. Read more 29 June, 2020Sunt in culpa qui Officia Deserunt mollit animLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur

## Allies EnCourage

- [Shuja Jamal](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/shuja-jamal/) - Shuja Jamal is a lawyer, policy researcher and former senior Afghan civil servant. He is the author, with Professor William Maley, of The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan (Oxford University Press, 2023). He is a trustee of the Australian Refugee Foundation and a member of the Advisory Committee of the University of New South Wales Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law. He was previously the head of policy, advocacy and communications at Jesuit Refugee Service Australia and a special advisor to the CEO of the Refugee Council of Australia. Shuja has served as the director-general for international relations and regional cooperation at the Afghan National Security Council, where he helped manage Afghanistan’s security partnerships. He also served as director for peace and civilian protection and coordinated Afghanistan’s policy portfolio on international sanctions, including those of the UN Security Council. Prior to his civil service work, he was a researcher for Human Rights Watch and worked as director for development at the American University of Afghanistan, helping to reopen the university after the devastating terrorist attack on campus in August 2016. He is a Fulbright recipient. He has a master’s in public policy from Georgetown University and a juris doctor from the University of Melbourne Law School.
- [Dr. Mastoora Shafahi](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/dr-mastoora-shafahi/) - Dr. Mastoora Shafahi is the executive director of the Education and Health Organization for Afghanistan’s Women (EHOAW) and a prominent human rights advocate whose pioneering work has transformed healthcare and education in underserved communities. Hailing from a remote mountain province, she has dedicated over a decade to improving women’s and children’s health through leadership roles in the Afghan Ministry of Public Health. As founder of EHOAW, Dr. Shafahi has secured scholarships for hundreds of girls in fields like dentistry, pharmacy, and reproductive health, and continues to champion girls' education and maternal care amid ongoing adversity.
- [Shamsia Alizada](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/shamsia-alizada/) - The daughter of a coal miner from Jaghori, Shamsia Alizada rose to national prominence after achieving the highest score on Afghanistan’s 2020 Kankor university entrance exam. Her success became a symbol of possibility for girls across the country, especially in marginalized communities. Now studying medicine abroad, she continues to dream of becoming both a doctor and Afghanistan’s first female president.
- [Nahid Fattahi](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/nahid-fattahi/) - Nahid Fattahi is a psychotherapist, writer, and activist specializing in holistic, culturally responsive care. Her work blends mental health, yoga, and self-compassion, with a focus on trauma-informed healing for refugee and immigrant communities. Through public speaking, storytelling, and her writing, she has become a powerful voice for Afghan women navigating identity, displacement, and resilience.
- [Fatimah Hossaini](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/fatimah-hossaini/) - Fatimah Hossaini Award‑Winning Photographer & Founder, Mastooraat Organization Fatimah Hossaini is an Afghan-Tehran-born artist, award-winning photographer, and founder of the Mastooraat Organization. A powerful voice in art and advocacy, she is one of the youngest recipients of the Hypatia International Award and was named a Rising Talent and Youth Ambassador by the Women’s Forum in
- [Azizullah Royesh](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/azizullah-royesh/) - Azizullah Royesh Co‑Founder, Marefat School & Global Education Champion Co-founder of Marefat High School, the first co-educational school in Afghanistan promoting women's rights and democratic values. Featured by NY Times, NPR, CNN, and London Times, among others, the school gained recognition for its curriculum promoting critical thinking and civic education, especially for girls. Authored textbooks
- [Catherine Robinson](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/catherine-robinson/) - Catherine Robinson Veteran Journalist & Humanitarian Communications Expert With over 35 years of experience in international broadcast journalism and the humanitarian sector, Catherine Robinson has built a career at the intersection of media and global advocacy. She began as a journalist with leading networks including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CNN, CNBC, and Bloomberg, reporting from
- [Dr. Rahela Kaveer](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/dr-rahela-kaveer/) - Dr. Rahela Kaveer is Chair of the World Hazara Council and a fearless advocate for women’s rights, education, and social justice in Afghanistan. A visionary leader born in Mazar, she founded the Afghan Women Empowerment Organization, where she has provided hundreds of women with literacy, vocational training, and sustainable livelihoods—often in regions impacted by poverty and conflict. Through initiatives in aquaculture and animal husbandry, she has created alternatives to poppy farming while fostering dignity and economic independence. A graduate of the Peace Through Business program, Dr. Kaveer’s work continues to uplift marginalized communities and amplify Hazara voices on the global stage.
- [Baktash Ahadi](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/baktash-ahadi/) - Baktash Ahadi is an Emmy Award–winning filmmaker, storyteller, and former combat interpreter whose powerful work bridges cultures and fosters empathy. Born in Kabul and raised in the U.S., Baktash has dedicated his career to telling stories that illuminate the human condition, from war zones to communities in healing. His acclaimed documentary Retrograde, produced by National Geographic, earned multiple Emmy Awards and international recognition. Through his production company and The Taleem Project, Baktash crafts films and initiatives that challenge narratives, celebrate resilience, and inspire change. His work has been featured at Tribeca, Telluride, and SXSW, and he continues to collaborate with global organizations to advance dialogue and understanding through the art of storytelling.
- [Friba Rezayee](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/friba-rezayee/) - Afghanistan’s first female Olympian (judo, Athens 2004), Friba Rezayee is the founder and executive director of Women Leaders of Tomorrow (WLOT), a Canada-based nonprofit that matches high-achieving Afghan girls with fully funded high-school and university scholarships across North America while mentoring them through its GOAL—Girls of Afghanistan Lead—leadership-through-sport program. Under her stewardship WLOT has already secured life-changing placements for scores of students at institutions in the United States and Canada, putting them on academic and athletic pathways that would otherwise be closed to them. Rezayee proudly backs Friends of Sima Samar to amplify these stories and champion women’s empowerment worldwide.
- [Minky Worden](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/minky-worden/) - Minky Worden is a leading global advocate for human rights and Director of Global Initiatives at Human Rights Watch, where she has spent over 25 years exposing injustice and building international pressure for reform. From pioneering media campaigns on political prisoners and gender-based violence to holding global sports bodies accountable for abuses, Minky’s work bridges activism, journalism, and diplomacy. She has long championed the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan and has been a vocal supporter of Dr. Sima Samar’s courageous fight for justice. A professor at Columbia University and author of several acclaimed books, Minky brings strategic brilliance and moral clarity to the global struggle for dignity and human rights.
- [Payam Akhavan](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/payam-akhavan/) - Dr. Payam Akhavan is a world-renowned human rights lawyer and former UN prosecutor whose work has spanned the frontlines of justice—from the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia to Iran, Afghanistan, and beyond. A staunch defender of women’s rights, ethnic minorities, and persecuted communities, Dr. Akhavan’s life mission resonates deeply with the story of Dr. Sima Samar. As an Iranian-born advocate who has witnessed the consequences of state repression, Dr. Akhavan brings both legal expertise and moral clarity to the global fight for human dignity. He stands in solidarity with Dr. Samar’s lifelong struggle for gender equality, education, and justice for Afghanistan’s Hazara minority. His support of Friends of Sima Samar to produce the feature film Samar: A Voice Unbroken and the Ripples of Courage documentary amplifies the message that silence is complicity—and that the world must listen to those who risk everything to speak the truth.
- [Sally Armstrong](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/sally-armstrong-2/) - Sally Armstrong is a renowned human rights activist, journalist, and award-winning author whose work has spotlighted women and girls in conflict zones from Afghanistan to the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. A four-time recipient of the Amnesty International Canada Media Award, she has also been honored with the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award (2024), the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Journalism Foundation, and the Gold Award for Investigative Journalism for her reporting on the Yazidis. Sally was the 2019 Massey Lecturer for Power Shift: The Longest Revolution and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. She has authored several acclaimed books, including Veiled Threat, Ascent of Women, Rebel, and Outspoken, co-written with Dr. Sima Samar. She serves on the Advisory Council of Human Rights Watch Canada and holds eleven honorary doctorates in recognition of her lifelong commitment to justice and women's rights.
- [Dr. Shakardokht Jafari](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/dr-shakardokht-jafari/) - A pioneering medical physicist and recipient of the 2024 Innovator of the Year award, proudly supports the Friends of Sima Samar initiative to help bring this vital story to the world. Her invention of the micro-silica-bead DOSEmapper™ system delivers millimetre-accurate radiation-dose mapping that is transforming radiotherapy outcomes and underpinned the accolade she received at the Dynamic Awards. Equally groundbreaking is her Bridge initiative—Education Bridge for Afghanistan—which now streams internationally accredited lessons to thousands of Afghan girls barred from secondary school, opening recognised pathways to university study.
- [Meryl Streep](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/meryl-streep/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Malalai Joya](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/malalai-joya/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Malala Yousafzai](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/malala-yousafzai/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Leymah Gbowee](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/leymah-gbowee/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Kerry Washington](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/kerry-washington/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Justine Trudeau](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/justine-trudeau/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Jennifer Lawrance](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/jennifer-lawrance/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Greta Thunberg](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/greta-thunberg/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [George and Amal Clooney](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/george-and-amal-clooney/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Emma Watson](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/emma-watson/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Aryeh Neier](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/aryeh-neier/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Arundhati Roy](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/arundhati-roy/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Angelina Jolie](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/angelina-jolie/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Agnes Callamard](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/agnes-callamard/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Oprah Winfrey](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/oprah-winfrey/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Reese Witherspoon](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/reese-witherspoon/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Sima Bahous](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/sima-bahous/) - Endorsement Coming Soon
- [Tawakkol Karman](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage/tawakkol-karman/) - Endorsement Coming Soon

## Categories

- [Press](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/category/press/)

## Allies Encourage Categories

- [Upcoming Endorsements](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage-category/upcoming-endorsements/)
- [Faces of Endorsements](https://friendsofsimasamar.org/allies-encourage-category/faces-of-endorsements/)