Ebadi Shirin was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially for the rights of women and children. She is a lawyer, human rights activist and co-founder of the Association for Support of Children’s Rights in Iran. Ebadi is the first Iranian woman to be judge on a city court bench. In 2002, Ebadi and a group of lawyers founded the Iranian Human Rights Defence Centre, which received the 2003 award of the French Human Rights Committee. Having survived assasination attempts, Ebadi continues to pursue realistic peace initiatives in her country.