Shirin Ebadi famous quotes

It's not just about hope and ideas. It's about action.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Ideas #Action

I maintain that nothing useful and lasting can emerge from violence.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Violence #Lasting

Human rights is a universal standard. It is a component of every religion and every civilization.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Rights #Civilization #Standards

Women are the victims of this patriarchal culture, but they are also its carriers. Let us keep in mind that every oppressive man was raised in the confines of his mother's home.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Mother #Home #Men

If you can't eliminate injustice, at least tell everyone about it.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Injustice

How can you defy fear? Fear is a human instinct, just like hunger. Whether you like it or not, you become hungry. Similarly with fear. But I have learned to train myself to live with this fear.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Hunger #Hungry #You Like It

Any person who pursues human rights in Iran must live with fear from birth to death, but I have learned to overcome my fear.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Iran #Rights #Overcoming

We demand a non-violent world where human security is the basis of our common global security. People have the right to live in a world where the basic needs of all peoples are addressed. No more military attacks. No more war.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Military #War #People

No government can make me wear a veil, no government can force me not to wear it either
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Government #Veils #Force

democracy ... is not something that occurs overnight. It is not a gift delivered on a golden tray. Democracy is a long process of fighting, challenging accepted ideas, and perpetually striving for freedom. Like a seed that has to be watered every day to become a flower, democracy needs constant attention and care.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Flower #Fighting #Ideas

In my memoir, I wanted to introduce American women to Iranian women and our lives. I'm not from the highest echelons of society, nor the lowest. I'm a women who is a lawyer, who is a professor at a university, who won the Nobel Peace Prize. At the same time, I cook. And even when I'm about to go to prison, one of the first things I do is to make enough food and put it in the fridge for my family.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Firsts #Lawyer #Prison

My hopes for Iran's future lies with women first and foremost. Iran's feminist movement is very strong. This movement has no leader or head quarters. Its place is the home of every Iranian who believes in equal rights. This is currently the strongest women's movement in the Middle East.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Strong #Lying #Believe

Sadly the job security of lawyers has been ruined, so they are less willing to defend political defendants.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Jobs #Political #Lawyer

Democracy doesn't recognize east or west; democracy is simply people's will. Therefore, I do not acknowledge that there are various models of democracy; there is just democracy itself.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#People #Democracy #East

Lawyers should not be charged with the same crimes as their clients. Trials related to political charges are not in accordance with human rights.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Rights #Political #Trials

Democracy is not an incident that happens overnight, nor a gift that America can give to the world. It is a culture which needs peace to evolve.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#War #America #Giving

No American soldier should be allowed to set foot on Iranian soil, regardless of the criticism we have of the Iranian government.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Government #Feet #Soldier

Because of our youthful population, we suffer from unemployment in Iran. We need more universities and more job opportunities for the young.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Jobs #Opportunity #Iran

The international community can't trust such a government. If the government of Iran wants the international community to believe in what it says, it should try to bring true, pure democracy into the country. The political solution to the energy issue or the nuclear case is democracy in Iran.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Country #Believe #Government

The younger generation is essentially idealistic. This applies to the Iranian youth as well. In addition, the youth in Iran face certain difficulties... the Iranian youth need more freedom. They are struggling for more freedom and democracy. This commands great respect.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Struggle #Iran #Democracy

Usually, in any revolution people are focused on who wants to have the most power. But the most important thing is the laws that are written during that time.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Law #People #Important

We shouldn't just consider the desire of government to do what it wants to do. We should always consider the resistance of people. The culture of Iranian people doesn't let the government drag people into deep trouble or backlash. Maybe government wants it, but the culture doesn't let it go on.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Government #People #Desire

When you vote, vote for those who are not warmongers, and vote for those who respect human rights. When you see a president who doesn't respect human rights, don't vote for that person.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Rights #President #Vote

We must not enable anyone to impose his personal view regarding religion on others by force, oppression, or pressure.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Views #Pressure #Oppression

The idea of cultural relativism is nothing but an excuse to violate human rights.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Rights #Ideas #Cultural Relativism

When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp. The funny thing is that human rights activists and Mr. Bush can never be situated in the same group.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Government #Iran #Funny Things

What is important is that one utilizes one's intellect and not to be 100 percent sure about one's convictions. One should always leave room for doubt.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Doubt #Important #Rooms

There is a verse [in the Koran] that says God swears by time. Anything you gain in life, you pay for with your time. Time is the most important thing that has been given to man.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Men #Design #Important

When a person is humiliated, when his rights are being violated, and he does not have the proper education, naturally he gravitates toward terrorism.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Rights #Doe #Terrorism

The Iranian government intends to use the nuclear program for peaceful purposes, but must convince international public opinion of that.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Love #Peace #Government

Europe clearly is the only place where people can speak up critically, and this is a unique cultural value.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Unique #Europe #People

I hope the example of Saddam Hussein will give a lesson to leaders of other countries where human rights are not respected.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Country #Rights #Giving

Lawyers have a dangerous job in Iran.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Jobs #Iran #Lawyer

My aim is to show that those governments that violate the rights of people by invoking the name of Islam have been misusing Islam.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Rights #Government #Names

The condition of women in Islamic societies as a whole is also far from desirable. However, we should acknowledge that there are differences. In certain countries, the conditions are much better and in others much worse.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Country #Islamic #Differences

We must acquaint the youth to the realities of the world... we must tell them that millions of people around the world have no access to drinking water.
-- Shirin Ebadi

#Drinking #Reality #Water