Shirin Ebadi is a renowned Iranian lawyer, writer, teacher, and human rights activist. She was born on June 21, 1947, in Hamadan, Iran, and is currently living in exile in the United Kingdom.

Shirin Ebadi was the recipient of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize. She was recognized for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, with a special focus on the rights of women and children in Iran. By receiving the prize, she became the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to be honored with the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ebadi's career began breaking barriers in Iran. She became one of the country's first female judges, and in 1975, she rose to become the first female president of the Tehran city court. However, following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, she was dismissed from her judicial post, as the new government deemed women unsuitable to serve as judges. Undeterred, she continued her struggle for justice by transitioning to a legal career, defending dissidents and those facing persecution by the government.

Her unwavering commitment to challenging legal discrimination against women and children led her to co-found organizations like the Defenders of Human Rights Center. Despite facing harassment, imprisonment, and eventual exile, Shirin Ebadi continues to advocate for a "humane Islam" that is in harmony with democracy and fundamental human rights, maintaining that peaceful change in Iran must come from within.