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News Releases

For Release Upon Receipt - October 18, 2006
Contact: Kira Jastive, 617-358-1240, kjastive@bu.edu

HEALTH AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST SIMA SAMAR RETURNS TO BOSTON UNIVERSITY AS DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR
Dr. Samar to address human rights, justice, and security challenges for Afghanistan

(Boston) – The Global Health Initiative (GHI) at Boston University and the BU School of Public Health announced today that Dr. Sima Samar, chair of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, will return to BU next week for the second of two visits to the University as the 2006 Distinguished Visiting Scholar in Global Health. Dr. Samar will meet with faculty, students, and staff to explore the complex challenges facing Afghanistan, especially those concerning women and children.

Dr. Samar will also deliver a lecture, “The Fragile Future of Afghanistan: Human Rights, Justice, and Security,” followed by comments from a panel of experts and open discussion with the audience. This free event will take place on Tuesday, October 24 at 5:15 p.m. in the auditorium at the BU School of Management, 595 Commonwealth Avenue.

A leading international voice on health and human rights issues in her country, Samar founded the Shuhada Organization in 1989 to implement innovative programs in health, education, construction, and income generation to improve the lives of women and children in Afghanistan and Afghani refugees living in Pakistan. The Shuhada Organization has become the largest female-led non-government organization in Afghanistan, operating an extensive network of hospitals, clinics, schools and shelters, and services for women and children. For more information about the Shuhada Organization, please visit www.shuhada.org.

“Boston University is honored to have Dr. Samar back with us as our visiting scholar in global health,” said Gerald T. Keusch, M.D., associate dean of Global Health, BU School of Public Health, and director of the Global Health Initiative. “Her courageous work to improve the lives of the people of Afghanistan – particularly women and children – under extraordinarily difficult conditions represents the best in global health action. On-the-ground efforts such as hers are the basis for developing new policies to advance the country’s medical and education infrastructure.”

The recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the 2004 Jonathan Mann Award for Health and Human Rights and the 2004 JFK Profiles in Courage Award, Samar is an international symbol of the steadfast courage required to demand basic human rights for women and children in Afghanistan.

In addition to directing the Shuhada Organization, Samar served as the country’s first Minister of Women's Affairs during the interim government of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, leading the effort to restore economic, political, legal and social rights to women. In her current role as Chair of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, she oversees the conduct of human rights education programs across the country, implementation of a nationwide women’s rights education program, and monitoring and investigation of human rights abuses.

The Global Health Initiative at Boston University was established to promote multi-disciplinary research, education, outreach and policy studies across and beyond the Boston University community, and to contribute to reducing disparities in health through the generation of new knowledge, the education of students as “global citizens,” and the development of partnerships with global health leaders, scholars, and practitioners around the world. The GHI Distinguished Visiting Scholar in Global Health Program provides a framework for developing important new collaborations and partnerships between BU and leaders in health and science across the globe.

The Boston University School of Public Health is one of the nation’s leading graduate schools of public health, preparing practitioners and scientists for careers that promote health among underserved populations locally and around the world.

Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With more than 30,000 students, it is the fourth largest independent university in the United States. BU is comprised of 17 colleges and schools along with a number of multi-disciplinary centers and institutes which are central to the University’s research and teaching mission.

Event:
“The Fragile Future of Afghanistan: Human Rights, Justice, and Security”

Panelists:
Dr. Sima Samar
Chair of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission

George Annas, J.D., M.P.H
Chair of the Department of Health Law, Bioethics & Human Rights
BU School of Public Health

Wendy Mariner, J.D., M.P.H., L.L.M
Professor of Health Law
BU School of Public Health

Charles Dunbar, B.A., M.A.
Professor of International Relations
BU College of Arts and Sciences

Date:
Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Time:
5:15 p.m.

Place:
595 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, MA

For more information, call 617-638-5234, visit www.bu.edu/ghi, or e-mail John Douglas at johnd@bu.edu.

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Note to editors: Interviews with Dr. Samar available upon request