Ada Nilsson

Overview

Ada Nilsson born Toarps Gård, Södra Säm, Sweden March 21, 1872 (d. 1964). Swedish gynecologist and leader in women’s rights; pacifist; feminist; suffragist. Organized Frisan Women’s opposition to Great War, 1914. Co-founded Women’s Unarmed Uprising Against War opposing Mussolini’s war on Ethiopia, 1935. Urged disarmament at League of Nations. Aided refugees in both World Wars.

Quotations

On opposition to war: “We must be organized politically in order to change. . . women should be optimistic, and specialize in such a group on some basic questions for women—such as the population and its living conditions, earthquake, war and peace as well as education—which can drive the issues forward and significantly contribute to its solution in the desired direction, although the definitive the design will be through other forces, one of which is completely natural, our party-based parliamentary approach.” (Inga-Britta Melin, Lysistrata’s Daughters, 1999, pp. 117-8; photo riksarkivet)

Terhi Nieminen-Makynen

Overview

Terhi Nieminen-Mäkynen (née Nupponnen) born Helsinki, Finland September 12, 1946. Finnish politician. International crisis manager; Member of Parliament, 1975-83. Chaired boycott committee against Apartheid, 1979; UN mission to Kosovo, 1999-2000; UNIFEM expert on Afghanistan 2004-05; UN report on Timor, 2005-06. Finnish mentor on human trafficking, Pristina, 2007-08; headed EUPOL gender equality Afghanistan, 2012-14. Co-founder of Civil Society Conflict Prevention Network (KATU).

Quotations

“In the solution of conflicts it is required that all parties are willing to work for a common goal. By so doing, different parties gain appreciation from others. Reconciliation negotiations are held in a public place and the opposite parties proceed according to a traditional protocol. The ritual ceremony of conciliations is the last stage. . . This is preceded by numerous negotiations in which the desired goals have been jointly striven for. It is important to create a consensus.” (“Lack of Security in East Timor” report in Oili Alm, Human Security—Perspectives, c. 2010; photo Google Plus)

Muriel Nichol

Overview

Muriel Nichol (née Wallhead) born Wilmslow, Cheshire, England February 2, 1893 (d. 1983). British Socialist, pacifist politician; suffragist; teacher. Opposed world war i conscription when her father was imprisoned for antiwar activity. Wartime speaking tour on “futility of war”; active in interwar No More War movement. Labour Member of Parliament, opposing conscription and urging independence for india, 1945-50.

Quotations

“India can govern herself. She wants to govern herself; she insists upon governing herself, and quite rightly.” (March 6, 1947 in Parliament, Hansard, p. 720; photo documenting dissent)

Anna Theresia Nilsson

Overview

Anna Theresia Nilsson born Toarps Gård, Södra Säm, Sweden April 27, 1869 (d. 1947). Swedish peace activist, teacher, and writer. Sister of leading peacemaker Ada Nilsson. Delegate to International Women’s Peace Congress, The Hague, 1915. Active at League of Nations, Geneva. Wrote four books on peace: Data and Facts in the Peace Movement, 1924; From Two Battlefields, and A Third, 1933; Peace Movement ABC, 1934; Ten Happy Years Travelling in Peace Work, 1945. (photo sydsvenskan)

Kara Nelson

Overview

Kara Nelson born Manchester, England November 24, 1919. New Zealand peace activist; teacher, pianist; as Kara Bang-bang member of world’s oldest hip-hop group; with Maynie Thompson led “Mum’s Army” 2 month Walk for or Life on Earth from Waikehe to parliament Auckland for nuclear free New Zealand 1984; protested at Greenham Common 1984, Germany 1985, and peace march across US 1986; French nuclear tests 1996; World Peace Walk 2009.

Quotations

“You do have to do things that are dangerous. If you don’t do that, you’re not having a really happy life.” (Faithit, Oct. 11, 2015; photo sbs.com.au)

Margaret Nevinson

Overview

Margaret Nevinson (née Jones) born Leicester, England January 11, 1858 (d. 1932). British social reformer; suffragist. Co-founded nonviolent Women's Freedom League, 1907; her writings encouraged tax refusal and boycott of the 1911 census. Opposed World War I; promoted the League of Nations; vice-president of Women's Peace Crusade.

Quotations

"We are going to be guilty of a very great act of rebellion." (Middlesborough, North-Eastern Daily Gazette, March 29, 1911, Liddington, "Women do not count, neither shall they be counted"; photo http://bit.ly/qQve9o)

Eugenie Niboyet

Overview

Eugénie Niboyet (née Mouchon) born Montpellier, France September 11, 1796 (d. 1883). French feminist editor; Christian Socialist; her first book against death penalty 1836; first European peace journal 1844; founded first continental peace society LIPL Geneva 1867; sponsored peace essay contests.

Quotations

"Let's unite, let's all repeat: 'Peace and Fraternity.'" (Peace of Two Worlds, motto)

"Progress, the light of peoples, has no need of cannons and rifles. . . " (Peace of Two Worlds, May 2, 1844; photo Wikipedia)

Elizabeth Pease Nichol

Overview

Elizabeth Pease Nichol born Darlington, England January 5, 1807 (d. 1897). Quaker; suffragist; leading British abolitionist; Chartist. Criticized Britain's policy in India.

Quotations

"No earthly object can justify the sending of so many souls to eternity." (to Mazzini on Italian war of liberty 1851, Stoddart bio., p. 176; 1841 portrait Wikipedia)

Nivedita

Overview

Nivedita (née Margaret Noble) born Dungannon, Tyrone, Ireland October 28, 1867 (d. 1911). Teacher; author and orator; disciple of Vivekananda, 1898; nonviolent anarchist; militant Indian nationalist. (photo Wikipedia)

Agneta Norberg

Overview

Agneta Norberg born Sweden February 6, 1937. Swedish peace activist; vice president Swedish Peace Council; proposed “Making the North a Zone of Peace” opposing NATO militarization against Russia; arrested 1996 Nevada Test Site; Menwith Hill protest 2002; arrested Jeju South Korea 2012; organized peace march to Russia in Cold War; opposed all US wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya.

Quotations

“Stop the building for War! Start building Peace in Korea and in Sweden.” (Jeju, Feb. 24, 2012)

“The world can no longer allow itself to be dominated by the arrogance and the despotism of one superpower but must instead ensure that the interests of all peoples and nations are safeguarded by international cooperation. To work for the democratisation of the international system is a pressing challenge. It requires the participation of all states and peoples as well as the active popular organisations.

"The prohibition of use of force in the UN charter constitutes the basis for all global peace work.” (Feb. 13, 2003 conference against atom bombs; photo global network against nuclear weapons)

Ellen Trane Norby

Overview

Ellen Trane Nørby born Herning, Denmark February 1, 1980. Leader in Dutch Liberal Youth, 1995; president of European Liberal Youth, 2002-2004; elected to Danish parliament, 2005; UN delegate, 2006.

Quotations

"We are also concerned that the ‘prevention of terrorism’ could be abused as a pretext for far-reaching actions." (Youth Convention, Brussels, May 21, 2003; photo http://bit.ly/I1Kugi)

Eva Nordland

Overview

Eva Nordland (née Bauge) born Bærum, Akershus, Norway January 3, 1921 (d. 2012). Norwegian peace activist, author; professor of psychology and education; headed Norwegian Peace Association 1986-2003; co-founded No to Nuclear Weapons Oct. 1979, and Women for Peace 1980; led first European Peace March against nuclear weapons Copenhagen to Paris 1981.

Quotations

On the European Peace March: “[T]oday's great drama, the fight against nuclear weapons: Nuclear weapons can destroy the planet, is in the process of doing so; the storage and accumulation of inventories are threats. It is a march for our children and grandchildren and grandchildren.” (Else Skjønberg, "The women's peace movement in the eighties"; photo nrk.no)

Louise Norlund

Overview

Louise Nørlund born Beder, Denmark November 27, 1854 (d. 1919). Danish suffragist and pacifist teacher. Speaker of Danish Peace Society, wrote for its Peace magazine; delegate to International Women's Peace Congress, The Hague, 1915; founding member of WILPF, to which Danish Women's Peace Chain joined, 1916. Occupation by Danish and German troops in 1864 war inspired her anti-militarism.

Helena Normanton

Overview

Helena Normanton born London, England December 14, 1882 (d. 1957). Pioneering British female barrister; feminist suffragist with nonviolent Women's Freedom League, 1907; lifelong pacifist against World War I; CND women's march against atom bomb, 1953.

Quotations

"The only thing that women in any country can do to prevent war is to stop the supply of 'cannon fodder.'" (Report of the Annual Council for Equal Citizenship, Daily Telegraph, March 5, 1937 in V. Woolf, Three Guineas, note 10; photo Edgehill Univ.)