The UN refugee agency UNHCR announced Dr Saleema Rehman as this year’s regional winner of the Nansen Refugee Award in the Asia region. Dr Rehman is a 29-year-old Afghan refugee doctor, serving local communities and refugees in Pakistan, said a press release issued here on Wednesday. UNHCR’s Nansen Refugee Award is given to Dr Rehman in recognition of her outstanding service and commitment to Pakistanis and refugees in the country. It also acknowledges her contributions as a refugee to Pakistan, particularly the unwavering dedication towards her patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The award highlights powerful example that Dr Rehman has set for other Afghan refugee women and girls. “Access to education is very important in our lives. Investing in the education of a woman is an investment in a whole next generation,” Rehman said at a ceremony held in her honour here at the Swiss Embassy.