Farida Momand Explained

Office:Minister of Higher Education
Term:2015–2016
Occupation:Doctor

Farida Momand (born 14 January 1965) is an Afghan doctor and politician who serves as Minister of Higher Education.

Early life and education

Momand was born in 1965 in the Momand Dara District of Nangarhar Province. She is of Pashtun descent. She studied at Rabia Balkhi High School and received a BA in Medicine from Kabul University.[1]

Career

Momand is a medical doctor and has worked in several government hospitals. She was a professor at Kabul Medical University.[1] Her husband was a spokesman for the Northern Alliance which sought to keep the Taliban from power. When the Taliban took over Kabul in 1996, the family received death threats and fled to Pakistan.[1] They returned in November 2001, when Kabul was liberated. Momand returned to the medical school and was appointed dean. She was also elected to represent female university students and employees.

Momand was one of more than 400 candidates for Kabul Province in the 2005 parliamentary election.[2] She was also a candidate for the 2009 provincial election and the 2010 parliamentary election.[1]

Momand was appointed as Minister of Higher Education in the cabinet of President Ashraf Ghani in April 2015.[3] [4] As Minister, she called for transparency in university examinations,[5] advocated for women in scholarship,[6] and supported the launch of the first programs in gender studies and women's studies at Kabul University.[7] [8]

In 2016, the Wolesi Jirga began impeachment proceedings for ministers who had failed to spend more than 70% of their development budgets for the year.[9] [10] Momand was one of seven ministers dismissed over four days.[1] [11] She was summoned to report on her development budget spending for the year and when she did not appear on the day, was dismissed in her absence.[12] President Ghani called the dismissals "unjustifiable" and urged the Supreme Court to intervene,[9] [13] while CEO Abdullah Abdullah urged the ministers to keep working until the relevant constitutional article was interpreted.[14] [15] [16]

Personal life

Momand is married to Habib Rayed and they have five children.[17] [2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mohmand, Farida Mrs. Prof.. Who is who in Afghanistan?.
  2. Web site: Photojournal: Afghan family's voting day. BBC. Soutik. Biswas. 6 January 2017.
  3. Web site: Four Women Were Just Approved to Join the Cabinet of Afghanistan's Unity Government. Feminist Newswire. 20 April 2015. 6 January 2017.
  4. Web site: National Unity Government's 16 Cabinet Ministers Sworn in. 21 April 2015. 6 January 2017. Office of the President, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. https://web.archive.org/web/20150810021524/http://president.gov.af/en/news/44871. 10 August 2015. dead.
  5. Web site: Farida Momand calls for transparency in university semesters tests. The Kabul Times. 17 August 2015. 6 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170905141548/http://thekabultimes.gov.af/index.php/newsnational/7735-farida-momand-calls-for-transparency-in-university-semesters-tests.html. 5 September 2017. dead.
  6. Web site: Access to Higher Education to Unleash Potential in Afghan Women. US AID. 29 June 2016. 6 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170711232939/https://www.usaid.gov/afghanistan/news-information/press-releases/access-higher-education-unleash-potential-afghan-women. 11 July 2017. dead.
  7. News: Kabul University launches its First-Ever Master's Programme in Gender and Women's Studies. Zabihullah. Moosakhail. 18 October 2015. 6 January 2017. Khaama Press.
  8. Web site: Kabul University Introduces First-Ever Master's Programme in Gender and Women's Studies. 17 October 2015. 6 January 2017. UNDP. 7 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170107105647/http://www.af.undp.org/content/afghanistan/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2015/10/17/kabul-university-introduces-first-ever-master-s-programme-in-gender-and-women-s-studies.html. dead.
  9. Web site: No-confidence process ends; nine ministers win, seven lose. TV News. 16 November 2016. 6 January 2017. Emad. Rostaye. 7 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170107100247/http://1tvnews.af/en/news/afghanistan/26088-no-confidence-process-ends-nine-ministers-win-seven-lose. dead.
  10. Web site: Three Ministers Refused To Attend The Parliament. Middle East Press. 14 November 2016. 6 January 2017.
  11. Web site: MPs disqualify 7 ministers in a week. Heart of Asia. 16 November 2016. 6 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20180620133745/http://heartofasia.af/index.php/national2/item/2646-mps-disqualify-7-ministers-in-a-week. 20 June 2018. dead.
  12. Web site: MPS dismiss another Minister, bringing total to six in three days. Kabul Tribune. 14 November 2016. 6 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170108013414/http://www.kabultribune.com/index.php/2016/11/14/mps-dismiss-another-minister-bringing-total-to-six-in-three-days/. 8 January 2017. dead.
  13. Web site: Afghan parliament dismisses Ministers despite opposition by President. India Live Today. 14 November 2016. 6 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170107100358/http://www.indialivetoday.com/afghan-parliament-dismisses-ministers-despite-opposition-by-president/60365.html. 7 January 2017. dead.
  14. Web site: Afghan Parliament Goes on a Firing Spree. The Diplomat. 15 November 2016. Catherine. Putz. 6 January 2017.
  15. Web site: Afghanistan Fires 7 From Cabinet in Intensifying Political Crisis. The New York Times. Mujib. Mashal. 15 November 2016. 6 January 2017.
  16. Web site: Afghan leader defies parliament by telling sacked ministers to stay. Reuters. 14 November 2016. 6 January 2017. Hamid. Shalizi.
  17. Web site: For Afghan women, talks with Taliban threaten newfound freedom. Meg. Laughlin. Tampa Bay Times. 26 November 2010. 6 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170107100515/http://www.tampabay.com/news/world/for-afghan-women-talks-with-taliban-threaten-newfound-freedom/1136609. 7 January 2017. dead.

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