Three Women Awarded Nobel Peace Prize
The World YWCA congratulates the three 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Awardees: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first democratically elected female president; Leyma Gbowee, a Liberian women’s rights activist; and Tawakkul Karman, a democracy activist from Yemen and the first Arab woman to win the prize.
The fact that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to three women is a recognition of the important role of women in advancing peace with justice and especially in recognising the approach of non-violence. This affirms the 150 years of advocacy by the YWCA movement and attests to the significant contribution of women in prevention, negotiation, mediation and reconstruction.
Through the YWCA of Liberia, who organised national sensitisation campaigns to educate eligible voters on the importance of participating in elections, the World YWCA witnessed Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s leadership. The YWCA of Liberia also took part in the creation of the first ever women-owned radio station in Liberia that was launched by President Sirleaf in August 2010.In 2009 the World YWCA President Susan Brennan, World YWCA General Secretary Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, together with YWCA leaders and young women from many countries including Finland, Canada and Barbados, among others, participated in the International Colloquium on Women’s Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security held in Monrovia, Liberia. The YWCA delegation met with President Sirleaf to discuss the importance of educating, empowering and developing the leadership potential in women from all political, economic and social spheres.
The World YWCA also congratulates Leyma Gbowee, who has been a long-time campaigner for the rights of women against rape and who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for mobilising women "across ethnic and religious dividing lines to bring an end to the long war in Liberia, and to ensure women's participation in elections.” Gbowee’s work is documented in the documentary film, “Pray the Devil Back to Hell,” that many YWCAs in crisis countries are using as an advocacy and training tool.
The World YWCA celebrates the choice of Takkawul Karman as the third recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Karman, a journalist and a member of Isah, an Islamic party, demonstrates that Islamic women can be activists and can work for human rights, freedom and democracy.
“The YWCA movement is inspired by this recognition of the role of women in peace building, especially as we continue working on women’s human rights and particularly in promoting women’s leadership in seeking peace, justice and healing throughout the world,” said Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda.
