Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian human rights activist who became the first Iranian to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her work defending the rights of women, children, and refugees. After attending the University of Tehran, Shirin became the first woman to become a judge in Iran and the first female president of the Tehran city court. However, after the Iranian Revolution, Shirin and all of the other female judges were demoted to lesser positions by those who felt Islam forbade women to be judges, and Shirin eventually turned her attention to lawyering. As a lawyer, she advocates for the legal rights of women and children and often takes the cases of those fighting against the law free of charge. In order to protect children from abuse, Shirin founded the Society for Protecting the Rights of the Child and the Defenders of Human Rights Center, and she also helped write a law against child abuse. Shirin calls for peace in her country and for respect for the rights of all of Iran’s citizens, despite the threats and arrests she has been faced with for her very public opinions. She continues to lecture and write about human rights issues and joined the Nobel Women’s Initiative to promote rights of women. Having experienced the limitations on her rights and opportunities personally, Shirin Ebadi is still fighting for the equality of women in Iran, and she is still trying to spread the message of peace, free speech, and the protection of the country’s precious children. Her voice has been a vital force calling for change amidst so much turmoil and unrest, and her lifetime of work is a testament to the difference one woman can make.
Today, be inspired to…Defend the rights of those who need you–children, elderly, homeless, disadvantaged, or anyone who needs support.
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She Made A Difference 