Franghiz Ali-Zadeh born Baku, Azerbaijan May 29, 1947. Pianist and composer. Named UNESCO Artist for Peace for "her contribution to spreading UNESCO’s message of peace and tolerance," 2008.
"I would encourage the youth to find purpose in their lives and to work hard to reach their goals. They should learn foreign languages." (Azerbaijan International, Winter 1999; photo donau-uni.ac.at)
Rose Allatini born Vienna, Austria January 22, 1890 (d. 1980). British novelist. Published Despised and Rejected about pacifist conscientious objector and homosexual, 1918; book banned by government for deterring military recruitment.
“[G]reater even than his repugnance to the 'great war game' as a whole; greater even than his revolt against the senselessness of it, and the pity of it; greater than any personal physical fear of death or wounds was his fear of being sent out to inflict death or wounds on others. . . " (Despised and Rejected; photo cyrilscott.net)
Donna Allen (née Rehkopf) born Petosky, MI August 19, 1920 (d. 1999). Labor economist; author and editor; historian; feminist; peace and civil rights activist; co-founder Women’s Strike for Peace; founded Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press (WIFP) 1972; opposed CIA intervention Guatemala, nuclear weapons, Vietnam War; arrested for protest against NATO Paris 1965; sentenced for contempt of House Un-American Activities 1966, then exonerated.
"[W]omen have a particular role in efforts to prevent war because women are naturally more concerned about the next generation." (Nov. 1, 1961 protest; photo WIFP)
Doris Twitchell Allen born Old Town, Maine October 8, 1901 (d. 2002). Psychology professor; founded Children's International Summer Village to promote peace education, 1951.
"The power of love is stronger than the love of power." (CISV Columbus 2010; photo facebook)
Florence Ellinwood Allen born Salt Lake City, UT March 23, 1884 (d. 1966). Lawyer and judge; peace activist; poet. Active proponent of suffrage and human rights. First woman in the world to sit on a supreme court, state of Ohio, 1922.
“Wars must cease because they put the world back centuries by abolishing the restraints, moral, social, ethical, built up in that fine but perishable process called civilization.” (Catt & Allen, Why Wars Must Cease, 1935, p. 118; photo Wikipedia)
Genevieve “Mickey” Allen (née O’Reilly) born Brooklyn, NY August 12, 1919 (d. 2008). Peace activist; nurse in WWII Italy; raised two activist daughters Jackie and Teri Allen; first arrested age 65; she and daughters arrested for chaining themselves to door of Hartford Federal Building to protest Iraq bombing with sign: “Inaugurate Peace”; Blocked gate to Groton sub base on Good Friday 20 years.
“That first time I was scared to death. Scared to death! . . . But I just knew I was doing the right thing.” (Riegle, Doing Time for Peace, p. 230)
Shulamit Aloni born Tel Aviv, Palestine December 27, 1928 (d. 2014). Israeli peace and human rights politician; founded International Center for Peace in the Middle East, 1982; worked with Peace Now, 1984; government minister, 1974, 1992-96; member of parliament, 1965-96; condemned apartheid, Gaza bombing and occupation.
“[T]he state of Israel practices its own, quite violent, form of Apartheid with the native Palestinian population.” (Counterpunch, Jan. 2, 2007; photo Wikipedia)
Isabelle Alonso born Auxerre, France May 8, 1953. Militant French feminist; co-founder and President of Chiennes de Garde ("Guard Bitches") against violence toward women, especially public insults.
"We Guard Bitches protect a precious value, the dignity of Women." (Manifesto of 1999; photo fr.Wikipedia)
Gila Altmann (née Gisela Kowalke) born Wilhelmshaven, Germany May 22, 1949. Green Party member of parliament 1994; Deputy Minister for Environment and Nuclear Safety.
"Equity—between mankind and nature, between generations, between all peoples and between all nations is the only solution to overcoming the hopelessness and despair that breeds crises and wars, violence and terror. Global equity is also a matter of security and peace." (June 17, 2001; photo motoport.de)
María Soledad Alvear Valenzuela born Santiago, Chile September 17, 1950. First woman Foreign Minister of Chile 2000 improved relations with US and Europe; first minister of Women's Affairs; as Justice Minister replaced colonial criminal code; tried to prevent Iraq War.
On the Iraq War: "We advocate a solution that is consistent with international law and with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. This is the only source of legitimacy for our agreements and collective decisions.
· We emphasize the need to adopt collective measures to prevent and eliminate threats to peace.
· We strenuously seek every possible means of achieving a peaceful solution to problems. This is a principle that we have historically promoted and we are determined to continue to work towards its realization." (UN Security Council, Nov. 7, 2003; photo Wikipedia)
Barbro Alving born Uppsala, Sweden January 12, 1909 (d. 1987). Pacifist; war correspondent; reported on Spanish Civil War, Finnish Winter War, Vietnam. Leader against nuclear weapons; jailed for refusal to participate in civil defense; WILPF member.
"There are times in life when an action which apparently looks negative—a no—can be positive. The civil defense duty places me in such a situation as a woman, and as a pacifist." (1954 trial, Majken Jul Sørensen, War Resisters’ International, Jan. 5, 2011; 1951 photo Wikipedia)
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)
Christiane Amanpour born London, England January 12, 1958. International journalist; critic of Iraq War.
"All of the entire body politic in my view, whether it's the administration, the intelligence, the journalists, whoever, did not ask enough questions, for instance, about weapons of mass destruction. I mean, it looks like this was disinformation at the highest levels." (USA Today, Sept. 14, 2003; 2011 photo Wikipedia)
Srinivasa Ambujammal born Chennai, India January 8, 1899. Gandhian organizer; president of Women's Swadeshi League; organizer for Women's Voluntary Corps; jailed 6 months in Vellore for civil disobedience, 1932.
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.
"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)
Jessie Daniel Ames born Palestine, TX November 2, 1883 (d. 1972). Anti-lynching suffragist; founded Southern Women's anti-lynching association, 1909.
"We declare lynching is an indefensible crime, destructive of all principles of government, hateful and hostile to every ideal of religion and humanity, debasing and degrading to every person involved." (photo My Hero)
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.
“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)
Kothainayaki Ammal born Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India December 1, 1901 (d. 1960). Author of 115 novels; playwright; classical singer and composer; editor; speaker; supporter of Vinoba Bhave's nonviolence efforts. Indian freedom fighter; Gandhian follower; twice imprisoned, once for eight months. (photo http://bit.ly/xKIFaK)
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.
"[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)
Mata Amritanandamayi born Parayakadavu, Kerala, India September 16, 1957. Hindu guru "The Hugging Saint"; Gandhi/King Prize for nonviolence 2002; active in tsunami relief 2004; promoted empowering women.
"[A] life inspired by love and service to humanity is possible." (July 4, 2004, Amritapuri.org; photo thefamouspeople.com)
Women in Peace
is dedicated to highlighting the achievements of extraordinary, peacemaking women from around the world.
