Kubra Noorzai (1932–1986) was an

Afghan Afghan may refer to: *Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia *Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity ** Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pas ...

politician. She was the first woman to become a government minister in the country, serving as Minister of Public Health between 1965 and 1969.

Biography

Noorzai was born in Kabul, one of nine children. She was educated at the

Lycée Malalaï In France, secondary education is in two stages: * ''Collèges'' () cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 15. * ''Lycées'' () provide a three-year course of further secondary education for children between ...

, before graduating from the College of Science at

Kabul University Kabul University (KU; prs, دانشگاه کابل, translit= Dāneshgāh-e-Kābul; ps, د کابل پوهنتون, translit=Da Kābul Pohantūn) is one of the major and oldest institutions of higher education in Afghanistan. It is in the 3rd ...

.Lucie Street (1967) ''The Tent Pegs of Heaven: A Journey Through Afghanistan'', p168Kubra Nurzai, 1932-1986, 1st Woman Minister of Afghanistan
Abarzanan Noorzai subsequently returned to Lycée Malalaï, becoming its headteacher and later headed the Women's Faculty at Kabul University. In 1958 she moved to France, where she studied at the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

for a year. She worked as a school inspector for girls schools, and served as director of the Feminine Charitable Institute in

Kabul Kabul (; ps, , ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province; it is administratively divided into 22 municipal districts. Acco ...

. She also became Dean of the College of Home Economics. One of the leading feminists in Afghanistan, Noorzai was one of the first women to stop wearing a veil in public, after Queen

Humaira Begum Humaira Begum ( fa, حميرا بیگم; 24 July 1918 – 26 June 2002) was the wife and first cousin of King Mohammed Zahir Shah and the last queen consort of Afghanistan. Marriage Humaira Begum was the daughter of ''Sardar'' Ahmad Shah Khan ...

had set the example by appearing without hers in 1959.Tamim Ansary (2012
Games without Rules: The Often-Interrupted History of Afghanistan
/ref> She was an Afghan delegate at UNESCO and the International Women's Congress meeting in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

. In 1964 King Mohammed Zahir Shah appointed her to an advisory committee that reviewed the draft 1964 constitution, which granted women the right to vote and stand for election. Following the August–September 1965 elections, she was appointed Minister of Public Health by Prime Minister

Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal ( fa, محمد هاشم میوندوال; 12 March 1921 – 1 October 1973) was an Afghan politician during the reign of Zahir Shah. Biography After graduating from high school, Mohammad Hashim became a journalist, edit ...

on 1 December 1965, becoming the first women minister in Afghanistan. She remained in office until 1969. As director of the Women's Institute, she was elected to the Loya Jirga in

1977 Events January * January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democratic R ...

during the rule of President

Mohammed Daoud Khan Mohammed Daoud Khan ( ps, ), also romanized as Daud Khan or Dawood Khan (18 July 1909 – 28 April 1978), was an Afghan politician and general who served as prime minister of Afghanistan from 1953 to 1963 and, as leader of the 1973 Afghan coup ...

.Suad Joseph & Afsāna Naǧmābādī (2003) ''Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures: Family, Law and Politics''] p788 Never married, she died at her home in the Kārte Seh neighbourhood of Kabul in 1986.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Noorzai, Kobra 1932 births People from Kabul Kabul University alumni University of Paris alumni Afghan feminists Afghan educators 1986 deaths Women government ministers of Afghanistan Health ministers of Afghanistan Public health ministers 20th-century Afghan women politicians 20th-century Afghan politicians