Above all, Ebadi won the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in promoting human rights. Particularly for women, children, and political prisoners in Iran. Ebadi also was the first woman to serve in the role of Chief Justice. She was one of the first female judges in Iran.

After being forced out of the judiciary as a result of the 1979 revolution, Ebadi later became an attorney in private practice defending the rights of political dissidents. Her work led to her being arrested numerous times and receiving death threats. Despite now living in exile, Ebadi remains committed to her mission of speaking out against human rights abuses and advocating for legal reforms in her country.

Ebadi is the founder of several organizations. For example, the Defenders of Human Rights Center. She is also co-founder of the Nobel Women’s Initiative. Additionally, she launched the Million Signatures Campaign. It was a campaign demanding an end to legal discrimination against women in Iranian law.

As a speaker, Shirin Ebadi frequently lectures at universities across the world. She is the author of 13 books including her memoir Iran Awakening: One Woman’s Journey to Reclaim Her Life and Country. Recently, she published Until We Are Free: My Fight for Human Rights in Iran. Ebadi earned her J.D. and PhD degrees from University of Tehran.