Pakistan's government has honored filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who won the country's first Oscar for her short documentary on the plight of female victims of acid attacks.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Chinoy will receive a “high civil award” for her accomplishments.

Her film Saving Face chronicles the work of London-based plastic surgeon Mohammad Jawad, who travels to Pakistan and performs reconstructive surgery on women disfigured by such attacks. Dozens of Pakistani women and girls are victims of the crime every year.

Chinoy, who co-directed the documentary with Daniel Junge, paid tribute to “all the women in Pakistan who are working for change.” She said the film was for them and urged them not to give up on their dreams.