Marguerite Barankitse

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Overview

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Marguerite “Maggy” Barankitse born Ruyigi, Burundi July 21, 1957. Rescued children during massacre, 1993. Founded Maison Shalom for 20,000 war orphans, 1993. Exiled to Rwanda, 2015; established Oasis for Peace to carry on mission of Maison Shalom, 2017. Awarded French Human Rights Prize, 1998; Bandres Prize for Asylum Rights, 1998; World Children’s Prize, 2003; Voices of Courage Award, 2004; Eleanor Roosevelt  Four Freedoms Award, 2004; Nansen Refugee Award, 2005; UNESCO Prize, 2008; Prize for Conflict Prevention, 2011; Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, 2016.

Quotations

"I want the new generation, Hutu and Tutsi together, who will break this cycle of violence. I will raise them in dignity, and love. When you have conviction, nobody can stop you. . . I don't want to hate. I want to believe in human beings. For me, even criminals, they are still my brothers, and I will continue to show them the light." (Christian Post, Jun. 17, 2016; photo zimbio.com)

Joyce Banda

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Overview

Joyce Banda born Malemia, Malawi April 12, 1950. Malawi Foreign Minister, 2006-09. As first woman president of Malawi, restored relations with EU, US, World Bank, 2012-14. Guarantor of Congo-M23 Peace, rejecting violence and ending long war in eastern Congo, 2013.

Quotations

“Yes, God, keep it a land of peace." (to Malawi Broadcasting after attacks on women in Lilongwe who were stripped in public, May 1, 2012)

“Leadership is about falling in love with the people you serve and the people falling in love with you." (Aug. 28, 2013, Malawi Broadcasting)

“I want to appeal to the leaders of the conflicting parties: give peace a chance.” (BNL Times, Nov. 5, 2013; photo Wikipedia)

Zainab Bangura

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Overview

Haja Zainab Hawa Bangura born Yonibani, Sierra Leone December 18, 1959. Muslim women's leader; trainer in nonviolence and peacebuilding. Led UN Mission to Liberia to oversee reconciliation, 2006. Sierra Leone Minister of Foreign Affairs, 2007-10. UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, 2012.

Quotations

“Sexual violence in conflict needs to be treated as the war crime that it is... It can no longer be written off or treated as an unfortunate collateral damage of war or unavoidable byproduct of political strife.” (Oct. 27, 2012)

Eve Bazaiba

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Overview

Eve Bazaiba Masudi born Democratic Republic of Congo August 12, 1948. Congolese Senator. Muslim proponent of nonviolence and conflict resolution. Member of regional peace organization Women as Partners for Peace in Africa (WOPPA), 2000. Nobel Peace Prize nominee, 2005.

Quotations

“[S]ince 1996, the DRC has been tormented by a hellish cycle of armed conflict concentrated largely in the country’s eastern provinces. . . These conflicts have been accompanied by grave human rights violations—victimizing women and children.” (The World of Parliaments, April 2009; photo blog.trustafrica)

Fatou Bensouda

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Overview

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Fatou Bensouda born Banjul, Gambia January 31, 1961. International Criminal Court Deputy Prosecutor, 2004; International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor, 2012.

Quotations

"There is an intrinsic link between justice and peace, by putting an end to impunity for the perpetrators of most serious crimes, the court can and will contribute to the prevention of such crimes, thus having a deterrent effect." (Africa News, Feb. 6, 2010; 2008 photo Wikipedia)

Betty Oyella Bigombe

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Overview

Betty Oyella Bigombe born Acholi district, Uganda January 1, 1954. World Bank expert in post-conflict problems. Minister of Water Resources, 2011. Two-time mediator in attempted peace with Lord’s Resistance Army, 1992, 2004-05.

Quotations

“I’m also a very strong believer that military victory will never bring sustainable peace. You can subdue people, you can humiliate them, they feel they have no voice, they’ll go underground—it will resurface. . . I’m a strong activist for sustainable peace. That it took long to go this far. It took a lot of pains. But definitely, there are dividends. So, one most always deal with these complex situations with hope. Because at the end of the day, after trying and trying, and a lot of times falling down, that it is important not to give up. And I think my spirit is just never give up. . . ” (Aaron Brown interview, July 29, 2008; photo monitor.co.ug)

Gabrielle Bouet

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Overview

Gabrielle Bouët (née Dechézelles) born Assi-Bou-Nif, Algeria September 24, 1885 (d. 1977). Radical French pacifist syndicalist teacher; issued antiwar manifesto of teachers Chambery 1912; antiwar throughout World War I; opposed World War II.

Quotations

"[F]or a better future for the whole of humanity. So we are committed pacifists: we believe we are close to the moment when international conflicts will be resolved without bloodshed." (Louis Bouët, Trente Ans de Combat Syndicaliste et Pacifiste, pp. 149-70, 1973; photo bataillesocialiste)

Angie Brooks

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Overview

Angie Elizabeth Brooks Randolph born Virginia, Liberia August 24, 1928 (d. 2007). Lawyer; President UN General Assembly 1970; Liberian envoy to UN 1954ff.; President UN Trusteeship Council 1966 which oversaw independence of Togo and Cameroon.

Quotations

"The UN. . . has suffered a decline in prestige in recent years because of its lack of dynamism. Our weakness. . . seems to lie in the fact that we all too often view world affairs somewhat parochially, as if they were being played out at the Headquarters on the East River of New York. We have sometimes failed to realize that neither oratory nor agreements between delegates, nor even resolutions or recommendations, have had much impact on the course of affairs in the world at large." (1970 opening address, in Avy Mallik, "Women Presidents." UN Chronicle, 2006; photo havelshouseofhistory.com)

Mary N. Brownell

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Overview

Mary N. Brownell born Maryland County, Liberia March 12, 1929. Liberian educator; crusader for peace, women’s rights, and democracy. Founded Liberian Women’s Initiative (LWI), which was crucial to ending civil war, 1994. Active in postwar reconciliation. Honored as Ambassador for Peace by the Interreligious and International Foundation for World Peace, 2006.

Quotations

“The women attended all of the peace conferences; we were never invited but we made our way there. They would say, ‘You are here again?’ I would say ‘Anywhere you men go I will follow you until you decide to put the guns down and stop fighting.’” (Critical Half, Fall 2007, p. 17; photo trcofliberia.org)

Roberta Buchanan

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Overview

Roberta Buchanan born Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, South Africa May 18, 1937. Canadian poet and professor of English and Women’s Studies.

Quotations

EARTH AIR FIRE WATER
Essential elements, natural sources, re-sources:
Extract, extort, exploit, rape, destroy, kill
Or reverence, worship, conserve the sacred grounds of being?

(St. John’s University Women’s Peace Conference, May 20, 1985)