Shirin Ebadi

Independent, outspoken, and incredibly intelligent, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi is the first Iranian and first Muslim woman to win the coveted prize. As a woman in Iran, her life has paralleled the dramatic changes within her country, and her call for dissent and support for human rights has rung clear during the political and religious upheaval in the Middle East.

Making history as the first woman judge in Iran, Ebadi was stripped of her basic rights by the religious revolutionaries, whom she once supported, who declared women unfit to serve as judges. She fought her way back as a human rights lawyer, defending women and children in controversial, politically charged cases. She has been arrested and been the target of assassination, but through it all, has spoken out with quiet bravery on behalf of victims of injustice and discrimination. Defying government obstacles, she also created one of the first independent, nongovernmental human rights organizations in Iran: The Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child.

A towering figure with a commanding voice that will not be silenced, Ebadi courageously champions democracy and basic human rights for women, children and all individuals. Her influence extends far beyond the borders of her country, inspiring hope that Islam, democracy and all human rights can co-exist despite the challenges faced in these turbulent times.