NAME: Shirin Ebadi
LIFETIME: June 21, 1947 – Present
WHAT SHE IS KNOWN FOR: Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, former judge, and human rights activist. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her pioneering work in democracy and human rights, especially women’s, children’s, and refugee rights. She was the first Iranian to ever receive this award.
WHY WE LOVE HER: Shirin studied law at the University of Tehran and passed the judicial qualification exams upon her graduation in 1969. She decided to continue her studies, and earned a Ph.D. in law. In 1975 she became the first woman president of the Tehran city court and the first ever woman judge in Iran. After the 1979 revolution, pressure from the new regime forced Shirin to accept a demotion to a secretarial position, rather than a judge. She and several other female judges protested and their positions were slightly elevated, becoming “law experts.” Despite earning her law degree in 1969, Shirin was not able to practice law until 1993. After her resignation as a law expert and before she became a practicing lawyer, she wrote several novels and various articles for Iranian periodicals. She lectured at the University of Tehran and campaigned for better legal status for women and children. As a lawyer, she sought out pro bono cases for people who had run afoul of the judiciary. Shirin was constantly worried about the growing violence and human rights violations in Iran. Since 2009, she has lived in exile in the United Kingdom because of increased persecution at home.
FUN FACT: With Western funding, Shirin has founded two non-profit organizations to organize human rights campaigns in Iran. They are the Society for Protecting the Rights of the Child (SPRC) and Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC). These organizations were instrumental in winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
