Women of Courage



"Women's rights are human rights," Hillary Clinton said in one of her speeches.  Leymah Gbowee, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Tawwakkul Karman, winners of the 2011 Peace Prize, believed those words and acted on them. Gbowee led a women's movment to end the civil war in Liberia. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became president of Liberia in 2005, the first elected woman president in Africa. And Tawwakkul Karman, a women's rights activist, led a pro-democracy protest movement in Yemen. Faced with strong opposition, these women refused to back down and became agents of change in their countries. 

 We often think one person can't make a difference, can't overcome the forces of oppression. These women proved that it was possible. They refused to let evil prevail at the risk of their own lives. What gave them the strength and courage? I'm not sure of their religious beliefs, but maybe they were just tired of war, of men dominating the government and ignoring the suffering of their people. They were able to overcome their fear of failure and demand their rights. 

 Are there women in the U.S. and other countries willing to stand up for human rights today? Or will we just sit back and let corrupt leaders deprive us of our dignity and freedom? Thank you, Leymah, Ellen, and Tawwakkul, for your example. 

   

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