[ 2011-10-07 ]

2011 Nobel Peace Prize winners - Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen

Three Women Share 2011 Nobel Peace Prize
This year's Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded
jointly to three women - Liberian President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian Leymah Gbowee and
Tawakkul Karman of Yemen.

They were recognised for their non-violent
struggle for the safety of women and for women's
rights to full participation in peace-building.

Mrs Johnson Sirleaf is Africa's first female
elected Head of State, Ms Gbowee is an activist
and Ms Karman a leading figure in Yemen's
pro-democracy movement.

Gbowee was named for her campaign for peace during
Liberia’s civil war. The jury said that her
efforts led to the election of Sirleaf as
Africa’s first elected head of state.

Gbowee is now the executive director of the Women
Peace and Security Network Africa, based in Accra,
Ghana.

Karman set up the group "Women Journalists Without
Chains" (WJWC) in 2005 and campaigned for human
rights.

The three women who won the Nobel Prize have been
commended for raising women empowerment to another
level.

The Programme Manager of Abantu for Development,
Hamida Harrison said the prize is not only for the
winners but for women in general.

Speaking to Radio Ghana, Madam Harrison, said the
Nobel Prize would help boost the chances of the
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is
seeking re-election as President.

Source - GNA

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