Shirin EBADI, Iranian lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize 2003, participates to a joint meeting of the Delegation for Relations with Iran and the Subcommittee on Human Rights on the occasion of the International Women's Day.

meeting

Subcommittee on Human Rights

EU - Iran (T)

EP delegation

International Women's Day (T)

gender balance (T)

EBADI, Shirin (IR)

International Women's Day - "From quota to parity": Shirin EBADI at the joint meeting of the Delegation for Relations with Iran and the Subcommittee on Human Rights

SOUNDBITE (Persian/Farsi), Shirin EBADI, There are times when I think terms such as democracy , equality, theses terms have only be made for men only. And if there is anything left from the share of men, then its given to the women. We must put an end to this. We must realise real equality of rights and this can not be possible unless we have a cultural, unless we improve a cultural transformation.

SOUNDBITE (Persian/Farsi), Shirin EBADI, We are living in a world in witch in some countries women are not seen as a proper individual. I come from the middle east, the Islamic middle east. In many of theses countries, not only the women do not have equal rights with men, but they are not even regarded as human beings. In some regions they do not identify a woman with their own name but they identify them using the names of their sons. For example they say the mother of Ali, instead of giving the woman's proper name. They don&rsquo;t say what her name is. She is the mother of Ali. And the customs and society are so anti-woman that a man does not want to name his wife by her name in society and in the community of Iranian mothers.

SOUNDBITE (Persian/Farsi), Shirin EBADI, We have had victories, but they are not enough and Iranian women until they achieve total equality of rights with men will not abandon their campaign. And I am certain that that day will arrive, because we have educated and brave women that are determined and - whatever the price is - they want to achieve equal rights. Thank you very much for having listened to me.