Begum Jan () is a doctor and the founder of the Tribal Women Welfare Association, which educates tribal women in

Northwest Pakistan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the northwestern region of the country, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ...

about their rights, and gives them medical training. She grew up in

South Waziristan South Waziristan District ( ps, سويلي وزیرستان ولسوالۍ, ur, ) was a district in Dera Ismail Khan Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before splitting in to Lower South Waziristan District and Upper South Waziristan District and t ...

, a conservative area of Pakistan, but her father encouraged her to become a doctor. She attended a school for boys as a child because there was no school for girls, and when her tribal elders forbid her to attend high school she studied with a tutor instead. In 2007, at a nationwide women's protest against clerics advocating suicide bombings and other violence, Jan led the Tribal Women Welfare Association's protest. As of 2008 she is the Tribal Women Welfare Association's chairwoman. She received a 2008

International Women of Courage Award The International Women of Courage Award, also referred to as the U.S. Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award, is an American award presented annually by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have ...

, making her the first Pakistani woman to receive that award.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jan, Begum Living people Pakistani women Pakistani women's rights activists Year of birth missing (living people) Courage awards Recipients of the International Women of Courage Award