Fawzia Koofi

• Deputy Speaker of the Lower House
  Wolesi Jirga

Koofi Fawzia graduated from Preston University in Pakistan and received her degree in Business and Management. Before getting elected to Parliament, Koofi was a Child Protection Officer for UNICEF from 2000 through 2005. When the first parliamentary election was held in 30 years in Afghanistan, Koofi ran for parliament and was elected by the majority of votes. She was also elected a deputy speaker of parliament, being the first Afghan woman elected to that position. Koofi, a modern thinker, linguist and the Second Deputy of the Afghanistan Parliament, can be describe as a symbol of women in a men-dominated society who can reach occasionally more than men, the highest level of patriotism and sincerity. In January 2006, she travelled to America and met with US First Lady, Laura Bush and Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. As an outstanding human rights supporter, Koofi's first subjects are always women issues in every roundtable discussion, national and international conferences that she attends.