Liberian President Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee And Tawakkul Karman Wins Nobel Peace Prize

Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Yemeni democracy and women's rights activist Tawakkul Karman, collective winners of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, for their Work on women's rights.



Africa's first democratically elected female president, a Liberian peace activist and a woman who stood up to Yemen's authoritarian regime won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for their work to secure women's rights, which the prize committee described as fundamental to advancing world peace.

The 10 million kronor ($1.5 million) award was split three ways between Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, peace activist Leyma Gbowee from the same African country and democracy activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen — the first Arab woman to win the prize.

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By citing Karman, the committee also appeared to be acknowledging the effects of the Arab Spring, which has challenged authoritarian regimes across the region.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee honored the three women "for their nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work."