Carolyn Hayman born England April 23, 1951. Development expert. Co-founded Peace Direct to help communities to recover from war through local efforts, 2004; Peace Direct UK Executive Director, 2004-present.
"[T]he role of women in peacebuilding and community reconstruction needs to be recognized, not because it's the 'right' thing to do, but because that's the way to get the most effective programs." (GenderHopes, December 2013; photo una.org)
Le Ly Hayslip born Ky La, Vietnam December 19, 1949. Humanitarian, author; founded East Meets West Foundation to heal wounds of war, 1988; memoir Child of War, Woman of Peace published 1993.
"Anger can teach us forgiveness, hate can teach us love, and war can teach us peace." (prologue When Heaven and Earth; photo myhero.com)
Olivia “Lilly” Heber born Gol, Norway May 28, 1879 (d. 1944). Norwegian pacifist author, literary critic and historian; founded People Uprising Against War (FMK) 1937; affiliated with War Resisters International; Theosophist; biographer of peacemakers Annie Besant and Krishnamurti. (photo Wikipedia)
Bahareh Hedayat born Tehran, Iran April 5, 1981. Iranian feminist and student leader, repeatedly arrested 2006, jailed one month 2007, rearrested 2008, sentenced 9½ years 2010.
"It has not been long since the last goodbye and our passionate battle cry together to overcome the darkness. We intended to strive with a long stride to reach the shores of light and love. We thought, at last, there will be an end to our distress and suffering, and it won’t be long till freedom will be within our people’s reach." (Dec. 7, 2010 letter from prison; photo we-change.org)
Anna Arnold Hedgeman born Marshalltown, IA July 5, 1899 (d. 1990). Nonviolent Black activist and educator; co-organizer of March on Washington 1963; first woman in New York city cabinet 1954.
"Perhaps it is our mission to make clear that hate destroys and that love can bring wholeness to mankind." (The Trumpet Sounds, p. 201, 1964; photo Hamline.edu)
Hedwig, Duchess of Silesia born 1174 (d. 1243) Peacemaker; could never hear of bloodshed without doing all in her power to prevent it. Forged peace between Henry of Silesia and Conrad of Musovia. (Thurston Attwater, Saints IV: 175; portrait Canterbury Tales blog)
Astrid N. Heiberg born Oslo, Norway April 14, 1936. Professor of psychiatry; first woman president of International Red Cross, 1997-2001; peacemaker in Tamil-Sri Lanka war, 2003. Opposed sanctions in Balkans, 1998, and Iraq, 2003.
"Let us be clear; sanctions can kill." (May 8, 1998)
"Climate change is no longer a doomsday prophecy, it's a reality." (Grist, June 23, 1999; photo Wikpedia)
Dorothy Irene Height born Richmond, VA March 24, 1912 (d. 2010). African-American civil rights leader. President of National Council of Negro Women, 1957-98. Lectured and taught in Asia and Africa.
“As more women enter public life, I see developing a more humane society.” (Arious Entertainment Newsletter, Apr. 23, 2010; photo thetruthinafrica.blogspot)
Hazel Henderson born Bristol, England March 27, 1933. Anglo-American economist and futurist. Authored global plan for UN funding, 1995. Opposed Iraq, Afghan wars.
”Women know how much time, love and effort goes into raising a child. When war arises, all that is reduced to nothing. . . this is why women’s active participation in conflict resolution is of great importance.” (World People's Blog, Jan. 6, 2007; photo hazelhenderson.com)
Julia Henderson born DuQuoin, IL August 15, 1915 (d. 2013). Lifelong UN employee, 1945-70; most senior woman in power. Director, Division of Social Welfare, 1950-54; Bureau of Social Affairs, 1955-67; Technical Operations, 1967-70. Secretary General, International Planned Parenthood Federation, London, 1971-78. Received UN Populations Award, 1991.
“Unplanned fertility is a threat to the quality of life.” (“How Many People”, Foreign Policy Assn., p. 62; photo UN)
Dorothy Marie Hennessey born Manchester, IA March 24, 1913 (d. 2008). Franciscan nun; peace advocate. Marched for civil rights; helped Cesar Chavez. With Witness for Peace, visited Nicaragua and formed human shield against attacks from Contras, 1984. Participated in 3,500-mile peace walk across US to protest Cold War, 1986. Arrested 3 times protesting nuclear weapons at Nevada Test Site. Jailed for Omaha Strategic Air Command protest, 1992. Alongside sister Gwen, jailed 6 months for School of Americas protest, 2001.
“I feel that it's our duty. We can't protest everything, but we can pick out some of the worst things to protest, and that's what I've tried to do.” (July 20, 2001; photo catholicreview.org)
Gwen Hennessey born Buchanan County, IA September 29, 1932. Catholic nun served 6 months in prison for School of Americas protest 2001; marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. in anti-racism demo Antioch IL, worked with Cesar Chavez in Calif; walked across US 1986 against nuclear weapons; Pacem in Terris award 2001.
"We’ve always been taught that obedience to an informed conscience was higher than the law of man." (Chicago Tribune, Aug. 8, 2001; photo Morningside College)
Emmy Hennings (née Emma Cordsen) born Flensburg, Schleswig, Germany January 17, 1885 (d. 1948). Anti-war poet; famed cabaret performer. Fled to Zurich to found antiwar Dada movement.
Prison:
We mournfully look out through the iron railing
And have nothing more to lose
Than the life God gave us.
Only Death lies in our hand.
The freedom no one can take from us:
To go into the unknown land.
(photo chrystaljhoffman)
Alice Henry born Melbourne, Australia March 21, 1857 (d. 1943). Pioneering Australian pacifist and suffragist; journalist; labor leader. Anti-racist, anti-imperialist social democrat. Strongly opposed World War I; opposed Boer War.
On the Boer War: “[T]hat war was cruel and that those who brought about wars were sinners and called it ‘something between a picnic, a battle and a fortune hunting expedition.’” (Power of Pen, 1991, p.53; photo c. 1920 Austr. Dict. Bio)
Audrey Hepburn born Brussels, Belgium May 4, 1929 (d. 1993). UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador 1988 with missions to Ethiopia, Somalia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, South America; grew up under German occupation of Netherlands.
"'The Third World' is a term I don't like very much, because we're all one world. I want people to know that the largest part of humanity is suffering." (1989 report on Ethiopia; photo Wikipedia)
Te Puea Herangi born Whatiwhatihoe, North Island, New Zealand November 9, 1883 (d. 1952). Maori pacifist leader. Opposed Maori Wars. Led nonviolent resistance to WWI conscription at draft resistance center, Te Paina, Mangatawhiri.
The basis of her pacifism, quoting her grandfather king’s words of 1881: “Listen, listen, the sky above, the earth below, and all the people assembled here. The killing of men must stop; the destruction of land must stop. I shall bury my patu in the earth and it shall not rise again. . . Waikato, lie down. Do not allow blood to flow from this time on.” (NZ History Online: Resistance to Conscription; photo Whakapapa)
Margaret Ann Hercus born Hamilton, New Zealand February 24, 1942. Law professor; politician. First Minister of Women's Affairs, 1984-87; Ambassador to UN, 1988; UN representative to Cyprus, 1998; served on panel on UN Peace Operations, 2000.
Eveline Herfkens born The Hague, Netherlands January 9, 1952. UN Undersecretary for Millenium Goals, 2002; recipient of first International Commitment to Development Award, 2003.
"Poverty is the war of wars we have to win." (Porto Alegre, Jan. 26, 2003; photo ILO)
Jenny d’Héricourt (née Poinsard) born Besançon, Franche-Comté, France September 10, 1809 (d. 1875). French revolutionary feminist and medical practitioner. Formed Universal Woman's League for Woman's Rights and Universal Peace.
“[The purpose of the Universal Woman's League for Woman's Rights and Universal Peace is] to extinguish prejudice between nations, to create a common interest through the in[fl]uence of woman, in order to substitute the reign of humanity for the divisions and hatred, and causes of war; and to give aid to the women of all nations in security.” (Chicago, May 1, 1869, in Karen Offen, “Nineteenth Century Feminist”, Signs, Aug. 1987, p. 157; photo Wikipedia)
Eva Hermann (née Lüddecke) born Grünenplan bei Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany May 25, 1900 (d. 1997). German Quaker. Involved with Fellowship of Reconciliation. Sentenced to three years in prison, 1943. Honored as “Righteous Among the Nations” for her efforts to saving Jews during World War II.
“When one's existence which has seemed quite secure suddenly melts away. . . when every security fails and every support gives way—then one stands face to face with the Eternal and confronts Him without protection and with fearful directness. . . When imprisonment has lasted a certain time it ceases to be punishment. One has removed one’s self from ordinary life and slowly begins to find a new standard.” (Friends Intelligencer, 1947, in Vera Brittain, The Rebel Passion; photo Wallenberg fdn.)
Women in Peace
is dedicated to highlighting the achievements of extraordinary, peacemaking women from around the world.
