Elisabeth Abegg born Strasbourg, Germany March 3, 1882 (d. 1972). German Quaker pacifist; follower of Albert Schweitzer; history teacher. Openly opposed Nazi regime; saved 80 Jews. Honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among Nations, 1967.
“Their fate will be my fate too.” (Yad Vashem; photo Wikipedia)
Sajida Abdulvahabova born Azerbaijan June 2, 1947. Professor promoting peace journalism, Baku University.
“Historically, the humanity has been silent about the role of women in war, almost as silent as the women excluded from peace negotiations. Images that are negative for the individual and for society in general. . . [One of the] two main principles of peace journalism. . . is that all parties in a conflict must be heard. It is possible to put a gender perspective on conflict reporting to see its gender roles patterns. It is a fact that many civil society peace initiatives are taken by women. But women's peace efforts and peace proposals are seldom seen in the media.” (quote & photo Peace Portal [http://old.kvinnatillkvinna.se/en/article/3225])
Lea Ackermann born Völklingen, Germany February 2, 1937. Catholic nun. Founded organization SOLWODI (Solidarity with Women in Distress) to combat sex tourism, human trafficking, and forced prostitution, 1985.
"Seeing the violence, exploitation and misery of these women, who were forced to work as prostitutes because they were poor, convinced me I had to help change their situation. . . I realized that even in civilized Europe, migrant women and girls are being exploited and mistreated in very similar ways." (ABC News, May 3, 2006; 2012 photo Wikipedia)
Umida Tukhtamuradovna Akhmedova born Parkent, Uzbekistan, USSR October 21, 1955. Uzbek photographer; Havel Human rights Prize, 2016; convicted of state slander, 2010.
“I cannot abide being what to do. . . I am not a politician or a member of the opposition. I am not a member of a party, a sociologist or a political scientist. I am just a person who cannot abide being told what to do in her art. And I will also talk about fear. When it takes control of you, fear is a really nasty emotion.” (Russian Reader, May 28, 2016; photo frontline defenders.org)
Nebahat Akkoç born Diyarbakir, Turkey February 23, 1954. Turkish Kurd human rights activist; teacher; opposed military coup 1980; jailed 12 days tortured 1994; founded women’s center KAMER 1997; Heinrich Böll Alice Klein Human Rights Prize 2015; Mevlana Kinship and Peace Award 2005, Amnesty International Ginetta Sagan Award 2004.
“We want a world without violence: We long for a world where all different forms of violence are acknowledged and no reasoning legitimizes the use of violence.” (“Imagining a New World”)
"While we women fight to free ourselves from violence, we gain new perspectives and experiences, and at the same time show that a new world is possible." (Heinrich Böll Kurzbiographie; photo radikal.com.tr)
Lyudmila Alexeyeva born Yevpatoria, Crimea, USSR July 20, 1927. Russian human rights activist; Soviet dissident; archaeologist and historian. Co-founded Russian human rights organization Moscow Helsinki Group, 1976; exiled and relocated to US, 1977-93. Returned to Russia after dissolution of USSR, 1993; chairperson of Moscow Helsinki Group 1996. Visited Chechnya in protest of war, 1996; organized nonviolent protests, Moscow, 2009; protested Russian annexation of Crimea, 2014. Awarded Palme Prize, 2002; Sakharov Prize, 2009.
"I have said on many occasions and repeat that I am convinced the seizure of Crimea cast shame on my country. . . In the modern world it is shameful and stupid to be an occupier. You need to reach agreement, not fight." (Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, Sept. 8, 2014; photo liviannamasso.wordpress)
Svetlana Alexeivich born Stanislau, Ukrainian SR May 31, 1948. Belorussian author. War’s Unwomanly Face about World War II, 1988; Zinky Boys portrayed brutality of Afghanistan war, 1992; Voices from Chernobyl, 1997. Received German Book Peace Prize, 2013; Nobel Literature Laureate, 2015.
On Russian action in Ukraine: "It is occupation, a foreign invasion." (Reuters, Oct. 8, 2015)
"All that we know about Woman is best described by the word 'compassion.' There are other words, too—sister, wife, friend and, the noblest of all, mother. But isn't compassion a part of all these concepts, their very substance, their purpose and their ultimate meaning? A woman is the giver of life, she safeguards life, so 'Woman' and 'life' are synonyms.” (War’s Unwomanly Face, Introduction; photo greanvillepost.com)
Maria Alyokhina born Moscow June 6, 1988. Russian journalist; member of punk protest collective Pussy Riot. Charged with “hooliganism,” arrested and sentenced to two years in prison for performance protest in Moscow cathedral, 2012. Protested Crimea invasion, 2014.
"All you can deprive me of is 'so-called' freedom. This is the only kind that exists in Russia. But nobody can take away my inner freedom." (thewildmagazine, Aug. 17, 2012)
Klaryta Antoszewska (née Ida Antoszewska) born Poniewierz, Lithuania April 14, 1932 (d. 2014). Holocaust survivor; humanitarian; philologist; peacemaker and protester against nuclear weapons; rescuer of refugees. Catholic sister of St. Francis. Described by a Ken Butigan as "[A] nonviolent lion for justice." (photo of her persuading armed policeman at Nevada test site, 2007, wagingnonviolence.com)
Concepción Arenal Ponte born Ferrol, Galicia, Spain January 31, 1820 (d. 1893). Pioneering Spanish feminist; opponent of all wars; first woman university graduate; poet; prison reformer.
“It is certain that war is an infraction of God’s Law, a mockery of His commandments, an attack against all laws, an abandonment of all duties: it honors what is monstrous, it sponsors what is vile, and there is no impiety which it does not sanction nor perversity which it does not justify.” (Cuadros de la Guerra, 1883, in D.J. Walker, Spanish Women, p. 16; photo buscabiografios)
Deniz Ülke Aribogan born Istanbul, Turkey January 21, 1965. Turkish professor of international relations, focused in countering the effects of terrorism. Rector of Bahçesehir University, 2007-10. Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
“Fight terrorism, not terrorists.” (Wikipedia)
"Military action can be used to curb the terrorists, but this is only a superficial solution. Fighting against terrorism can only be undertaken within the context of a social, cultural and international structure. Terrorism is a political phenomenon." (World Politics Review, Oct. 15, 2007; photo twitter.com)
Emmy Arnold (née von Hollander) born Riga, Latvia December 25, 1884 (d. 1980). Founder of nonviolent Bruderhof community.
"How can it be possible for a Christian—indeed, for any human being—to take part in this mass murder?" (Joyful Pilgrimage, p. 34, 1918; photo Jesusorg.uk)
Women in Peace
is dedicated to highlighting the achievements of extraordinary, peacemaking women from around the world.
