Suraya Pakzad at the Second Annual International Women's Day Breakfast

Suraya Pakzad was named in 2009 one of Time magazines 100, the people who most affect our world. When Afghan women were denied their education and treated like second-class citizens, those who chose to challenge norms on behalf of womens rights found themselves in grave danger. She founded the Voice of Women Organization (VWO) in 1998 and began to teach women and girls how to read in groups across Afghanistan. Since 2001 when options opened for Afghan women, VWO has operated openly in Herat, Afghanistan after three years of working underground. Suraya's work continues to place her in danger as she provides direct protection to women and girls at risk and focuses on education and womens rights awareness and advocacy. VWO now runs a range of projects that support disadvantaged and oppressed women. In 2008, she was honored by the U.S. State Department and received the Women Of Courage Award. On December 27, 2008, she received the Top State Medal Malalai from the President of Afghanistan for her commitment to improving womens lives. She was born in 1968, graduated from Kabul University, Faculty of Literature in 1990, married at 14, and is a mother of 6 children.

On March 4 2010, Suraya Pakzad spoke at the Second Annual International Womens Day Breakfast on Capitol Hill, hosted by Women Thrive Worldwide and UNIFEM.

To learn more visit: http://www.WomenThrive.org

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

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• Women Thrive
• Suraya Pakzad
• International Womens Day