The Present as History: Critical Perspectives on Global Power by Nermeen Shaikh

Author:Nermeen Shaikh [Shaikh, Nermeen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Globalization, Modern, Political Science, Middle East, History, Colonialism & Post-Colonialism, 21st Century, General
ISBN: 9780231512411
Google: hwGTOpSxZ7kC
Goodreads: 35135953
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Published: 2007-12-06T00:00:00+00:00

PART THREE | FEMINISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS

EIGHT | Shirin Ebadi

How did you become interested in the field of human rights?

Everyone is born with certain characteristics. I always had a feeling during childhood, almost like a calling, which I could not name then but I later found was about seeking justice, a certain commitment to justice. When I was a child, whenever I would see children fighting, I would naturally try to defend the underdog, the weakest. I even got beaten up myself a couple of times doing that!

This natural tendency led me to choose law as my field of study. In addition, my own father was a professor of law. And it was this natural tendency to seek justice that also led me to choose to become a judge after getting my law degree. I thought that by being a judge I could practice justice even better.

After the revolution, we were told that women, according to Islam, could not be magistrates or judges. So as soon as it became possible for me to do so, I decided to retire prematurely. Following which I requested a license from the Iranian Bar Association to practice law. I was turned down for seven years, although in that same time period others were given the same license. The reason was that I have always had a sharp tongue! Once I did get the license to practice, I knew exactly where I was headed, and that was toward the defense of human rights as a means to getting justice.

I am extremely grateful to Banafsheh Keynoush, the interpreter for Shirin Ebadi, who made this conversation possible.

What kind of human rights work have you principally been involved in?

I have been active in both the theory and practice of human rights. I have published eleven books, mostly focused on human rights: the rights of women, the rights of the child, comparative law on the rights of the child, underage laborers, the history and documentation of human rights in Iran, the rights of refugees, and rights within the framework of arts and literature insofar as they pertain to freedom of speech.

In practice too I have been active. Along with a couple of others, I set up an association for the defense of the rights of the child aimed at disseminating and promoting the International Convention on the Rights of the Child in Iran. Fortunately, this NGO has been quite successful. I was also able to set up another NGO with the help of a number of lawyers. In this NGO, we offer pro bono legal services to political defendants and those who are sent to prison for ideological reasons. We also provide support to the relatives of political prisoners. We raise awareness or at times publish declarations in areas where human rights have been violated.

Following the Nobel, I have also set up another NGO for demining.

Why do you think that in contemporary debates, Islam is frequently viewed as incompatible with human rights?

Unfortunately the human rights situation is not very good in most Islamic countries.

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