Shirin Ebadi

Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer known for her advocacy for women, street children and political dissidents, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.

A native of Tehran, she attended law school at Tehran University. She eventually became a prominent judge in the Tehran City Court in 1975, but her judicial career took a hit in 1979 following the Islamic revolution that forbade women to serve as judges. She was demoted to clerical positions that kept her from practicing law until 1992 when she was allowed to obtain a license to set up her own legal practice.

Although many conservative Iranians deem her work as a contradiction to Islamic custom, she contends that her advocacy work is in alignment with the Muslim faith.

Ebadi co-founded two human rights organizations: the Association for Support of Children’s Rights in 1995 and the Center for Defense of Human Rights in 2001. She authored 11 books concerning the rights of women, children and Iranian law.

In May, Ebadi told a TIME magazine reporter that since she won the Nobel, she has received death threats and has been accused of working against Islam and Iran. Early this August, the Iranian government threatened Ebadi and other lawyers with arrest if they continued to defend political dissidents. She continues to work for Iranian citizens, however.

—Brenda Goates