Anna Abdallah

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Overview

Anna Abdallah Msekwa born Southern Tanzania July 26, 1940. Nurse; held four major cabinet posts: Minister of Health, Agriculture and Community Development, Public Works, Local Government. Initiated Creators of Peace for a just, peaceful and sustainable world.

Quotations

"We must create the positive element called 'peace,' which is not just the absence of weapons. And that means beginning with ourselves. Women are the missing link. We see things differently from men." (http://bit.ly/1gBi4GG; photo guide2womenleaders.com/Governors)

Dekha Ibrahim Abdi

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Overview

Dekha Ibrahim Abdi born Wajir, Kenya November 17, 1964 (d. 2011). Kenyan peacemaker. Received Right Livelihood Award for inter-faith dialogs, 2007; Hessian Peace Prize of Peace Research Institute, 2009.

Quotations

“A peace process is not about the mathematics of numbers and percentages in relation to who is in majority or minority. It is about plurality, diversity, participation and ownership of all affected by the conflict and who live in the context hence nothing less than full participation and ownership.” (Right Livelihood Award acceptance speech, Dec. 7, 2007; photo hiiraan.com)

Hafsat Abiola

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Overview

Hafsat Abiola-Costello born Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria August 21, 1974. Nigerian human rights activist; founded Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) 1999 for her assassinated mother, to promote African democracy; treasurer Women’s Learning Partnership for Peace; founded China Africa Bridge 2008; Cambridge Peace Commission Youth Peace award 1997; Goi Peace Award 2016.

Quotations

“Take your light and take your love into the world as the only weapons that we need to make this world truly glorious, truly beautiful, and astonish all of life.” (Nov. 9, 2001, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; photo Wikipedia)

Pauline Acayo

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Overview

Pauline Silver Acayo born Gulu-Lira borderlands, Uganda June 3, 1965. Catholic Relief nun. Helped over 2,000 abducted children, adults, and former soldiers reintegrate into their former communities; encouraged national peace and reconciliation talks. Coordinated with People's Voice for Peace to establish women peace committees. Joined Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Women PeaceMakers Program, 2005.

Quotations

“When I see God’s protection, I realize that maybe I have not yet done enough. I still need to do more.” (Emiko Noma, Born in the Borderlands, Living for Unity, p. 67, 2005; photo newswire.crs.org)

Isabelle Ameganvi

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Overview

Isabelle Ameganvi born Kpalimé, Togo September 3, 1961. Togolese lawyer, legislator, and human rights activist. Initiated Lysistrata-style sex strike for Let’s Save Togo campaign, followed by two women’s marches, 2012.

Quotations

"We have many means to oblige men to understand what women want in Togo. . . If men refuse to hear our cries we will hold another demonstration that will be more powerful than a sex strike, like fasting." (BBC, Aug. 27, 2012; photo ufctogo.com)

Elkouria Amidane

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Overview

Elkouria “Rabab” Amidane born El Aaiun, Western Sahara, Morocco September 29, 1985. Nonviolent student activist. Awarded Norwegian Student Peace Prize, 2009; Swedish Ordfront Democracy Prize, 2011.

Quotations

“I was detained and tortured very much but that does not affect my life, no, it gives me the power to struggle against it and now I even have the feeling that I can sacrifice my life for my people.” (Joanna Bidar interview, Dec. 14, 2007; photo vest-sahara.no)

Betty Amongi

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Overview

Betty Amongi Ongom born Uganda November 15, 1975. Ugandan cabinet minister in peace talks with Lord’s Resistance Army at Juba 2006; chair of Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum on Peace (AMANI) Uganda chapter.

Quotations

"[My major goal is to] participate in the pacification process of northern and eastern Uganda regions that have suffered the brunt of the 20-year conflict between the UPDF and rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army." (All Africa Monitor, Aug. 8, 2006)

On the International Criminal Court trial of Dominic Ongwen: "If the trial is successful, it will be a good deterrent for the rest of those who think that you can wage war, you can torture people and get away with it." (U.S. News, Jan 21, 2016; photo monitor.co.ug)

Jane Anyango

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Overview

Jane Anyango born Nairobi, Kenya March 17, 1970. “Woman of Peace”; Grassroots peacemaker; founded Kibera Women for Peace and Fairness 2007; member of Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Reference commission 2012; ran Peace Through Action and Advocacy in 2013 elections; named Peace Ambassador by International Women Peace Group 2015; Kroc Institute WomanPeacemaker 2016.

Quotations

“We are tired. We want peace. We are starving. We are being killed. We are appealing to Mama Lucy Kibaki and Mama Ida Odinga, the wives to the president and prime minister. Our children in the slums are just as precious to us as your children are to you. They need peace. They need to be safe. They need to eat. We lost a child yesterday and we are tired.” (quote and photo Maggie Morshed, “From the Hard Earth”, p. 18, Kroc WomenPeacemaker narrative, 2008)

Chris Anyanwu

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Overview

Christiana Anyanwu born Mbaise, Imo, Nigeria October 28, 1951. Nigerian journalist and politician. Jailed three years for reporting a failed coup. Elected senator, 2007.

Quotations

“[T]he world is full of tension and violence due to ethnic, religious and racial hatred. The western developed nations that condone racism and ethnic hatred are as guilty as the eastern or southern, developing nations that fuel ethnic and religious hatred among their various peoples. All have contributed to the making of a violent world. A violent world is symptomatic of a globe ruled by closed minds. A battle for the control of the mind is raging. Never before has there been a greater need for mass education as an instrument of ‘constructing enduring defences of peace.’” (UNESCO 80 Women; photo dailypost.ng)

Alice Afuma Appea

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Overview

11.14 appea crop.jpg

Alice Afuma Appea born Gold Coast November 14, 1906 (d. ?). “Grandma Alice.” Ghanaian Quaker; co-founded SOS Children’s Village Association 1970; founding head WILPF Ghana; delegate to UN conference on disarmament 1978.

Quotations

“I believe that this is a woman's world. Much of the striving by men may be traced to women as the primers of the hidden strings of action in men. And, when a man, by dint of inspiration from a woman, wins the laurel, he brings it proudly home and places it at the foot of the woman in his life. . . The rights women aspire to can only come about through the skillful leadership of women themselves. Using their natural gifts of persuasion and influence, women can bring about social transformation.” (Kay Camp, “Listen to Women”, 1975, p.5; photo Wilbaforce Ghana postage)

Florence Rita Arrey

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Overview

Florence Rita Arrey born Buea, Cameroon August 18, 1949. Judge of International Ruanda Tribunal (ICTR) 2003; convicted Rwandan singer Bikindi of genocide.

Quotations

"The Chamber has found Bikindi guilty of direct and public incitement to commit genocide based on his public exhortations to kill Tutsi in a vehicle outfitted with a public address system on the main road between Kivumu and Kayove in late June 1994. Bikindi was the principal perpetrator of this crime." (Dec. 2, 2008 judgment, para. 448; photo ICYR)

Ayo Ayoola-Amale

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Overview

Ayo Ayoola-Amale born Jos, Nigeria May 23, 1970. Ghanaian poet, lawyer, and peacemaker. Founding president, Ghana WILPF. Began Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC), Accra.

Quotations

“Real peace will come only when we all find peace within ourselves and we conquer hatred. I discover for myself the true nature of war and peace in the world. Peace activism today goes beyond taking to the streets in anger to rage against the system, it’s about finding peace from within and then sharing that peace with others through inspired action that is meaningful to you. As a 21st century peace activist i search beyond how others construct the current state of the world, and define it for myself. It’s an authentic path of inner growth and discovery where i hold in my heart that if i choose peace in my life, the world will follow. . . Importantly, my work is to further humanity’s evolution in the direction of progressive values of peace, love and harmony.” (”Activists or Lobbyists?”, March 31, 2015; photo Wikipedia)