March 8 is recognized as International Women’s Day. On this day, we take time to reflect on the accomplishments that women all over the world have made, especially with regard to creating awareness on women’s equality. Many women throughout history have made amazing strides towards this goal. One individual in particular is Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee. Here is her story:
Leymah Gbowee was born in Liberia on February 1, 1972. The First Liberian Civil War broke out in 1989. She was 17 at the time and living with her family in Monrovia. The war lasted until 1996. After the war subsided, she attended a program that was run by UNICEF. It was focused on those that had been traumatized by the war. Once she had completed the three month course, it became clear that the trauma was continuing as a result of her abusive husband. She had four children at the time and felt helpless.
She eventually found the courage to flee from her abuser, taking her children with her. She returned to Liberia, where her parents and family members lived. It was still utter chaos in the area. Even in the midst of everything, she attended school to receive her Associate of Arts degree in social work.
With her education, she led a women’s peace revolution that was vital in bringing an end to the Second Civil War in Liberia. She realized that in order to combat the war in her country, it had to change in the home. Her efforts were so strong, that it helped to bring in a period of peace in Liberia. Since women took such a stand in the country, it led to it being the first African nation that elected a female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
In 2011, Gbowee was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, along with Sirleaf and Tawakkul Karman, for her peacemaking efforts. She was also appointed the leader of Liberia’s National Peace and Reconciliation Initiative by President Sirleaf.
Through all of her work, including co-founding theWomen, Peace and Security Network Africa, Gbowee truly personifies the values of International Women’s Day. She is a true visionary and has helped Liberia change in a dramatic way.
