A beacon of courage and resilience in the face of adversity, Shirin Ebadi’s journey in the world of law exemplifies the relentless pursuit of justice and equality. Discover how her indomitable spirit and profound commitment to justice continue to inspire countless individuals worldwide.
Following its initial publication in Passions, Vol. 56, the article has been adapted for the digital platform and is now exclusively accessible on VOICE OF ASIA.
Once upon a time, there lived a lawyer and a darned good lawyer at that. In fact, she was so competent, that she became the first female judge in the history of Iran. But then, an Islamic revolution swept through that country, upholding the belief that women cannot serve as judges – or hold any form of power. Consequently, she was made a clerk – at the same courthouse where she once presided as a judge. Even her application for practicing law was declined, rendering her housebound for several years. This dramatic turnaround happened to Shirin Ebadi.
In her legal career, Ebadi took on several controversial cases, representing several journalists and their families who were accused or sentenced in relation to freedom of expression, as well as a large number of social cases, including those related to child abuse. A strong proponent of Children’s rights, she co-founded the Association for Support of Children’s Rights, co-founded the Human Rights Defenders Centre and proposed to the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) to ratify a law on prohibiting all forms of violence against children. As a result, the law was promptly debated and passed in the summer of 2002.
In 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially those of women, children and refugee, making her the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to be honoured with the prize.
Ebadi founded The Nobel Women’s Initiative in 2006 along with sister Nobel Peace Laureates, representing women from North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, to bring together their experiences in a united effort to help strengthen work being done in support of women’s rights around the globe. In her book, Iran Awakening, Ebadi states, “It is not religion that binds women, but the selective dictates of those who wish them cloistered.” For us, she threw off the shroud of oppression, inspiring the downtrodden to stand on their own feet.
