Bertha Kipfmueller born Pappenheim, Bavaria, Germany February 28, 1861 (d. 1948). German feminist, scholar, and peace leader. First German woman to obtain a doctorate; early member of German Peace society, 1893. Published pacifist tract Sedan Thoughts, 1896; spoke 46 languages, including Chinese. (photo wikipedia)
Sherin Khankan born Denmark October 13, 1974. Muslim feminist. First Danish female imam; founded Mariam Mosque, Copenhagen, 2016. Led nonviolent campaign to counter anti-immigration movement by face-to-face confrontation.
“Everything starts with language, so we need to challenge the narrative around the title. . . You can take a notorious title and give it a totally different meaning by changing the narrative. To change the narrative, you have to create something which decredits the existing one.” (Girls Are Awesome, Apr. 11, 2017; photo themuslimtimes.info)
Sigrid Kaag born Rijswick, Netherlands November 2, 1961. Dutch diplomat, known as “The Iron Lady.” Served roles in UNICEF, UNWRRA, UNDP. Headed UN mission to destroy Syrian chemical weapons, 2013. UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon during Syria War, 2014. Awarded Carnegie-Wateler Peace Prize, 2016.
“Women play a key role in development, peace and security.” (Oct. 22, 2015, UNSCOL; photo un.org)
Kaarina Kailo born Helsinki, Finland August 31, 1951. Professor Women’s Studies; feminist advocate of peaceful education; grassroots peace activist.
“There will be no peace and sustainable ways of living until boys too are taught to adopt the 'softer' feminine values of recognizing their interdependency, human vulnerability and responsibility towards all forms of life. The male creators of the Hiroshima bomb also called it their 'baby.'” (“Honor, Shame”, June 18, 2003; photo kaarinakailo.info)
Angela Kane (née Uther) born Hamelin, Lower Saxony, Germany September 29, 1948. Ranking executive of UN since 1977. Special representative to end El Salvador War, 1991. Assistant Secretary for Political Affairs, 2005-08; Under-Secretary-General for Management, 2008-12. As High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, oversaw the destruction of stockpiled Syrian chemical weapons, 2013.
On drone warfare: "Any weapon of war is terrible, and if you can launch this without human intervention, I think it’s even worse. It compounds the problem and dehumanises it in a way. It becomes a faceless war and I think that’s really terrible and so to my mind I think it should be outlawed." (Telegraph, Aug. 24, 2014)
Margot Kässmann (née Schultze) born Marburg, Hesse, Germany June 3, 1955. Lutheran bishop. First woman to head the German Evangelical Council, 2009; opposed German participation in Afghan War, 2009; signed German leaders’ antiwar protest, 2014. Opposed NATO missiles, 1983; against all war, including World War I.
"There is no just war—that is what we have learned from history. There is only just peace. . . If the radicals stand up for non-violence, dare to dream the dream of a world without violence, it would definitely make a difference. Peace be with you." (World Council of Churches, May 18, 2011)
Shulamith Katznelson born Geneva, Switzerland August 17, 1919 (d. 1999). Founded Ulpan Akiva language school Netanya for Arabs and Jews 1951; twice nominated for Nobel prize.
"If you learn a person's language, you understand their way of life." (LA Times, Aug. 7, 1999; photo cmscitrus9.xp3.biz)
Louise Keilhau (née Ottesen) born Kristiansand, Norway May 25, 1860 (d. 1927). WILPF founding member; teacher; suffragist; founder Norwegian Committee for Permanent Peace.
“We women, in International Congress assembled, protest against the madness and horror of war, involving as it does a reckless sacrifice of human life and the destruction of so much that humanity has laboured through centuries to build up.” (resolution, April 28, 1915, The Hague, wilpf.org/anniversary-exhibits)
Pulmu Helena Kekkonen (née Nousiainen) born Leppävirta, North Savo, Finland June 11, 1926 (d. 2014). Finnish pioneer of peace education; prison educator and chemistry teacher. Absolute pacifist; rejected military defense. Served as founding chair of Finnish anti-Apartheid movement, 1984-87. Secretary-General, Peace Education Institute (RKI), 1986-90. First UNESCO prize in peace education laureate.
"I have become increasingly convinced that peace is the work of one’s entire daily life: every day’s deed or omission shows ethical beliefs. Even the tiniest peace work is not in vain, even though the goal is still an extremely long way off.” (fi.wikipedia, footnote 6; photo humanistiiiitto.fi)
Petra Kelly born Günzburg am Danube, Swabia, Germany November 29, 1947 (d. 1992). Founded German Green Party, 1979; opposed nuclear weapons and Vietnam War. Received Right Livelihood Award, 1982.
"The arms race, I believe, is insane, but an inevitable outcome of science in a world where men wage war against feminine values, women and nature." (Fighting for Hope, p. 39; photo Right Livelihood)
Annie Kenney born Springhead, Saddleworth, Yorkshire, England September 13, 1879 (d. 1953). Militant working-class suffragist whose arrest for heckling Churchill marked start of militant phase 1905; jailed 3 days; 12 later arrests and force-feeding 1913; opposed World War I.
On Christabel Pankhurst's order for suffragists to support war: "This autocratic move was not understood or appreciated by many of our members. They were quite prepared to receive instructions about the Vote, but they were not going to be told what they were to do in a world war." (Memories of a Militant, 1924)
Alma Kettig born Barmen, Germany November 5, 1915 (d. 1997). German peace activist and pacifist. As Social Democrat member of Parliament, opposed militarization, atomic weapons and women in the army, 1953-65. Opposed Nazis before World War II.
“There should be disarmament, not rearmament; there should be cooperation, not confrontation.” (quote and photo Frauen Ruhr Geschichte: Kettig)
Ellen Key born Västervik, Sweden December 11, 1849 (d. 1926). Feminist peace leader; advocated "scientific pacifism" to use innate female compassion to end war.
"Everything, everything in war is barbaric. . . But the worst barbarity of war is that it forces men collectively to commit acts against which individually they would revolt with their whole being." (War, Peace and the Future, 1916; photo c.1915 wikicommons pd)
Jemima Khan (née Goldsmith) born London, England January 30, 1974. Journalist; UNICEF UK Goodwill Ambassador. Publicly opposed Iraq and Afghan wars.
"Why the pretence of 'making the world a safer place' when we all know an unjust war will incite such hatred that new recruits will be queueing up to join al-Qa'eda?" (Telegraph, April 2, 2003)
"There comes a moment when you have to ask what is more dangerous, terrorism or counterterrorism. . . Afghanistan is still the worst place in the world for women to live. . . So by any standards, our mission in Afghanistan has failed." (AFP, Oct. 10, 2011; 2011 photo Wikipedia)
Nicole Kiil-Nielsen born Larchamp, Mayenne, France August 21, 1949. French Green politician; elected European Parliament, 2009, serving on Foreign Affairs Committee; anti-nuclear activist since 1960s; aboard “Say Human” Freedom Flotilla II ship “Dignité” to Gaza, 2011.
On Israeli raid of Gaza flotilla: “I hope that the death of these pacifists, these activists, will lead us to say this time: ‘That’s enough! It has to stop! . . . Let us put an end to the impunity of Israel!’” (Weekly Standard, Jun. 3, 2010; photo euroarl.eu)
Q’orianka Kilcher born Schweigmatt, Baden-Würtemberg, Germany February 11, 1990. Peruvian-German indigenous rights activist; actress, singer, songwriter. Arrested for protest at White House against Amazon oil, 2010.
“I hope to contribute to a global warming of hearts and a climate change in human consciousness.”
“The things I do, I do from the heart and out of love and respect for our planet and all living things. And I draw my courage from my love for justice and truth and I calm my fears by comforting those who are more scared than me. And I try to do my best to make the world a better place, one small action at a time as good as I can. But it’s getting harder and harder to just mind my business because at some point, silence is betrayal and we have to speak up and stand up to power and find the courage to defend justice, compassion and all the values we stand for. . . .But I think humanity has been sleeping for way too long and it’s a good time for all of us to wake up and remember who we were meant to be.” (Feb. 2, 2013 Juan Caceres interview, IndieWire; photo zimbio.com)
Glenys Kinnock (née Parry) born Roade, Northamptonshire, England July 7, 1944. Internationalist who founded One World Action 1989; British Minister for UN and Africa 2009-2010; Minister for Europe 2010; Welsh member of European Parliament 1994-2009; anti-Apartheid leader and promoter of third world development.
"[T]he deteriorating situation in Darfur. Tension is building up very seriously and a large-scale military confrontation is threatened, as thousands and thousands of Sudanese troops are now moving into the region with trucks, bombs and guns. We also face a massive humanitarian catastrophe." (European Parliament, Sept. 4, 2006)
"I welcome the fact that we now have collective responsibility to protect civilians against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and all crimes against humanity. Now we look forward to the proof that in the future the UN will be able to avoid those failures that we so tragically saw in Bosnia and Rwanda." (European Parliament, Sept. 28, 2005; photo Wikipedia)
Auguste Kirchhoff (née Zimmerman) born Ansbach, Rhineland, Germany June 23, 1867 (d. 1940). German suffragist, feminist, pacifist and social reformer; publicly opposed World War; led German WILPF; after the war she promoted reconciliation with France and peace education; opposed anti-semitism, genocide and German nationalism.
"Before the outbreak of war, under the influence of the long period of peace, the view that toy soldiers, forts, swords, guns and fire-arms, amusing toys were harmless, might have been understandable and forgivable. But today, in the face under the heavy pressure of the terrible reality, a perennial terrible bloodbath, we must surely raise the question, perhaps in guilt, whether we should close our eyes to the ease with which one brings war toys to the child." (Christine Holzner-Rabe, bremer-frauenmuseum; photo c-auguste-kirchhoff.de)
Elisabeth Kirkby born Bolton, England January 26, 1921. Actress; Australian politician; protested nuclear tests and Vietnam War.
"It is that nuclear weapons arsenal that is being tested in the South Pacific, and which is causing the genetic abnormalities. . . and we are part of the chain that is providing it." (NSW Legislature, Dec. 4, 1986)
"Men have never had the will to work for peace. This is another and even more important goal that women have set for themselves; they will have to pioneer in this field, too, if the world is to be safe for the men and women of the future." (Jocelynne Scott, Different Lives, p. 89; photo http://bit.ly/GzT1lK)
Clasina Albertina Kluyver-De Jong Van Beek En Donk born Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands September 23, 1884 (d. 1974). Dutch antiwar activist and international relations expert. Feminist suffragist. Authored book on founding of the League of Nations, 1919; book on arbitration and conciliation, 1928. Took part in international women’s conference, 1913. Early staff of League of Nations foreign affairs. Dutch deputy to the League of Nations, 1929. Postwar head of UN department of Netherlands Foreign Ministry. Delegate of Anti-War League to International Women's Congress, where her amendment advocating including men in peacemaking was rejected, 1915.
“We must, however, not forget the existence of the numerous peace movements all over the world, consisting of men and women together. As we are aware of the fact, that the primary necessity we want for our peace movement is concentration of forces, I think, that anyone who takes the responsibility of starting a new action for peace, must have a very good reason to do so.” (Bericht Rapport, p. 162)
Women in Peace
is dedicated to highlighting the achievements of extraordinary, peacemaking women from around the world.
