Last week Shirin Ebadi made history: She was the first Iranian woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Never heard of her before? I wouldn’t be surprised — this commemorable occasion seemed to be brushed aside by the mass media. Neither the Ames Tribune nor the Des Moines Register ran stories on the subject, and I wouldn’t have known, either, if I hadn’t seen it on MTV News. Yes, MTV News.

MTV’s little blurb made me curious enough to want to investigate it more. What I found was a story of a woman who should be looked up to and admired by cultures all over the world. So to make up for the local media’s lack of coverage, here I bring to you the tale of one of the most strongest and admirable women no one knows about.

On Oct. 10, Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian judge, lawyer and activist, was awarded the 2003 Noble Peace Prize for her role in women’s and children’s rights, her bold efforts toward democracy and her unrelenting strength when it came to standing up for what she believed in. She is the first Iranian to ever receive this prestigious award, and only the tenth woman to do so in the prize’s 102-year history, according to the Nobel e-Museum Web site (www.nobel.se/peace).

Ebadi boasts a pretty impressive resume. She received her law degree from the University of Tehran, and from 1975—79, she worked as the president of the city court of Tehran.There, she became the first female judge in Iran, until a revolution banned women from serving on the bench.

Not to be discouraged by the setbacks, Ebadi continued practicing law, but also started researching and speaking out on her ideas of equal rights for refugees, women and children. She is the founder and leader of the Association for Support of Children’s Rights in Iran and has written many children’s books focusing on human rights. Many of her books have been translated into other languages, and published with the help of the United Nations Children’s Fund. Ebadi is also known for promoting peaceful solutions to democratic problems in society.

Ebadi has practiced law for most of her professional life, a controversial occupation that has gotten her suspended and even landed her behind bars. She served as the attorney for the families of the victims of serial murders in 1999-2000. It was her research that unveiled the responsible party for attacks on a Tehran University dorm that killed several students. In 2000, she was put in jail and accused of dispensing a taped confession of a violent militiaman. She was stripped of her right to practice law, only to have the power reinstated a short time later.

I am forgetting one important item in the life and times of Shirin Ebadi — she is a Reformed Muslim. She has argued for an new interpretation of Islamic law, one that includes harmony between cultures, equality before the law, democracy, religious freedom and freedom of speech.

Ebadi has always supported her ideas, even when they weren’t popular. She was accused of forcing “Western-backed” campaigns into Iran, and trying to dismantle the traditional Islamic system. She was deemed a foe by some Iranian government officials, or “hard-liners.” Some even criticized her refusal to wear the traditional Iranian woman’s veil, the hijab.

What I find so amazing about Shirin Ebadi is how much she is loved and accepted by her country. When the Noble Peace Prize news broke, Ebadi was in France. Upon returning, more than 5,000 people gathered around the airport, forming the biggest pro-reform rally since June. Even her naysaying Iranian government enemies offered her public congratulations.

It is clear how much Ebadi loves her country, as well. She has dedicated her life and work to fighting for the rights of Iranians. According to an MSNBC.com article, the day after winning her prize, she said, “I will go back to Iran because I am Iranian and I want to die in my country.”

When asked to comment on the future of Iran’s youth, she said only this: “I hope that today’s young people can do much more and do better for our country than I did.”

Clearly, Shirin Ebadi is a perfect role model not only for women, but both genders. She is a strong person who stands up for what she believes in, no matter what the consequences.

I think she more than deserves the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize and may she continue to be a role model for people wanting to make a difference worldwide.