CITY TALK: NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR EBADI IS SPECIAL HONOUR FOR WOMEN, SAY RESIDENTS
By Bassma Al Jandaly & Shadiah Abdullah

October 18, 2003 – (Gulf News) Iranians in the UAE are beaming with pride at this year's Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to one-time lawyer and human rights activist Shireen Ebadi.

Ebadi is the first Iranian as well as the first Muslim woman to win a Nobel Prize. Many of the delighted Iranians – as also other community members – interviewed by Gulf News felt the award is a vindication of the principles of democracy, human rights and non-violence.

Dr Mahshid Salehi, a child and family psychologist and Director of the Dubai Centre for Special Needs, said she was jubilant when she heard the news.

"The fact that she is an Iranian woman makes me even more proud. As a woman, I think that this award will give a message to all the other women out there who are facing challenges that they should not despair and that they will eventually prevail," she said.
Dr Salehi described the award as a positive gesture for human rights worldwide as it honours the bravery of people who fight for their inherent human dignity.

"The fact that Ebadi was chosen will give a very positive image of Muslims. It is also coming at a very critical time especially after the negative propaganda Islam has been undergoing over the past two years. It is also a very positive development for Muslim women," she said.

Sam Bayat, a lawyer, also felt a great sense of pride to see a compatriot had won such a prestigious award. "It was a triple sense of pride, as an individual, as an Iranian and as a Muslim, to see her win this award," he said, pointing out that by choosing Ebadi the committee was sending out the message that peace will prevail. "The award encourages all the Shireens in the world and tells them that they will not be overlooked," he said.

Silvana Salman Pour, an Iranian poet who works at Khabar newspaper, thought Ebadi's achievements were a matter of pride not only for Iranian women or Muslim women as such but for womenfolk throughout the world.

Well-known face

Mustafa Al Ghanimfrom Saudi Arabia"I am very proud and happy. It is the right time to give the prize to a lady who is Muslim. It is an award for us all who fight for women's rights," she said.

"We deserve this prize in this part of the world. Ebadi is an active woman in the field of human rights and she is well known by a large number of people, especially the educated."

She said that Ebadi is a role-model for many people, particularly practical and strong women who fight for their rights.

"I think that all woman should appreciate what she does. Women should not just sit at home waiting for solutions to their problems, no-one will help them if they do not help themselves," Silvana said.

Sahar Najib from JordanSaeed Nasser Hishmat, a draftsman at Dubai Municipality, said regardless of the subject and Ebadi's point of view all Iranians should be happy. "We are happy that an Iranian person has won the Nobel Prize. It should make all Iranians excited, happy and proud," Hishmat said.

Shahinaz, an Iranian civil engineer who works in a government department in Dubai, said she was really surprised that an Iranian woman had won the coveted prize.

"It is an excellent achievement for all women, especially Muslims. I feel that I am the winner along with all Iranian women.

"We want everybody to be proud of it and we are really happy. We want all Muslim women to move forward, to be independent and to continue to be winners," Shahinaz said. She added that Ebadi was an example to all women, who should believe in what she does and imitate her.

Striving hard

Raju Kaprwan, an Indian, said that the fact that Shireen won was a great achievement for a woman in this part of the world. "She did a great job and make personal sacrifices for her ideals and that is why she simply deserved to win. It is really quite an achievement when you realise the number of contenders for the prize," he said.

Sahar Najib a Jordanian citizen, said getting the award is quite an achievement for a Muslim woman. "With this award she can show that we Muslims value human rights as much as anyone else," she said, adding the honour is a big step for Muslim women.

"This award will encourage many women out there to strive harder because they know their efforts are appreciated," she said. "I hope she will be the first of many Muslim women to win such awards."

Berta Edde, a Spanish national, said it was good to see that the prize going to a person from the Islamic world. The committee was giving the message that the award is not only for westerners and that they are recognising people who are doing a lot for peace, she felt.

"They are also recognising that women in this region work for the good of the community as a whole and are not just confined to the care of their families," she said.

Mustafa Al Ghanim, a Saudi national, said that it was an honour for a Muslim woman to win such an international award.

Abdullah Mohd Al Masferi, UAE national"This will definitely be a big boost for women in general and Muslim women in particular to strive to achieve," he said.

Barbara Sheldon, an American citizen, said: "It is wonderful that such a courageous woman who fights for civil rights has been recognised. The fact that some people in Iran felt that she was chosen for the wrong reasons, such as pressurising the government for reforms, is just a negative reaction. It should not cloud over the fact that is inspirational to all the women in the Middle East."

Abdullah Mohammed Al Masferi, a UAE national, said the award will be an incentive to many women in the region. "The award is a big boost to the morale of many as it shows there are many unique individuals among us," he said.

Muftah Al Khair Weld Sidi Abdullah, a Mauritanian, said that many Muslim women will now be more motivated to strive for progress. "There are many Muslim women out there who are trying to make a difference and this award will spur them on," he said.

Anne Maj Lundqvist from SwedenAnne Maj Lundqvist, from Sweden, described it as "great" and said: "I think that it is a message not only to Iran but to countries around the world to respect the rights of women. Many rights we take for granted in the west are not available for some women," she said.

Naamat Mohammed Ahmad, a Canadian, was proud of the Iranian lawyer's achievement. "This is a boost and I urge young women to take such individuals as role models and create better societies."

From http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=100507

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