Lucila Luciani de Pérez Díaz born Maracaibo, Venezuela January 12, 1882 (d. 1971). Venezuelan foremother of UN. Musician; historian; feminist pioneer. Delegate to first international women’s rights conference (CIM), Havana, 1928; advisor to San Francisco conference, 1945. (photo Wikipedia)
Maria Ponce de Blanco born Tucuman, Argentina July 6, 1924 (d. 1977). Leader of Mothers of the Plaza; kidnapped, tortured, murdered, and air-dumped at sea, 1977. (photo La Vergüenza de mi familia)
Susana Pacara born Chayanta, Potosí, Bolivia May 30, 1965. Quechuan radio journalist and nonviolent organizer. Co-founded Radio Lachiwana in Cochabamba; stood up to government oppression in Coca War, 1993; organized march for dignity, 1994, national march for land and territory, 1996; fought privatization of water system by American Bechtel corporation, 2000.
"If you're going to die, you're going to die for the cause." (Waging Nonviolence, April 1, 2014)
Claudia Paz Y Paz Bailey born Guatemala June 7, 1966. Law professor and criminal and human rights lawyer. First Guatemalan woman Attorney General, 2010-14. Successfully prosecuted Rios Montt for genocide, 2013. Passed two laws against violence against women. Nobel Peace Prize nominee, 2013.
“For the first time, the victims had the opportunity to tell what happened in the villages in front of the perpetrator. They could tell it in their own language, and by telling this, they recovered part of the dignity that was stolen when they suffered so many human rights violations. So when the judges said that he was guilty and that it was genocide and crimes against humanity, it was very important for the victims, but, I believe, also for all the country.” (Oct. 1, 2014 interview, Georgetown Institute For Women; photo panampost.com)
Sonia Picado Sotela born San Jose, Costa Rica December 20, 1936. Chair of UN Commission on Timor, 1999; co-founder Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 1979; judge in Aloeboetoe decision on indigenous rights, 1993; recipient UN Human Rights award, 1993.
"Poverty is the main violation to human rights." (Strasbourg speech, Pasqualucci 797; photo Univ. Miami)
Solange “Sonia” Pierre born Villa Altagracia, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic July 4, 1963 (d. 2011). Dominican-Haitian human rights leader; arrested age 13 for 5 day Haitian workers protest; won case in Inter-American Human Rights court on racial discrimination 2005; founded MUDHA (Movement of Dominico-Haitian Women) 1983; UNESCO Human Rights Education award 2002; Amnesty International Sagan prize 2003; Kennedy Human Rights prize 2007; US Women of Courage award 2011.
"I am not a critic of my country, and this is my country, I am a critic of my government." (Independent, Dec. 6, 2011; photo pinterest)
Olga Poblete de Espinosa born Tacna, Chile May 21, 1908 (d. 1999). Chilean peace activist; professor of world history and education; feminist “founding matriarch” of Movement for Emancipation of Women (MEMCH); demonstrated against dictator Ibañez 1931; opposed nuclear weapons 1946; founded Chilean peace movement 1950; its president 1960; World Peace Council gold medal 1959; secretary World Peace Council for Latin America 1961; organized Latin-American Conference for National Sovereignty, Economic Emancipation, and Peace 1961; Lenin Peace Prize 1962; openly opposed Pinochet dictatorship 1973.
“Work more with the heart than with the brain.” (cimacnoticias 2094; photo dedaldeoro.cl)
Magda Portal born Barranco, Peru May 27, 1900 (d. 1989). Peruvian poet and feminist; anti-imperialist. Leader of Vanguardia literary movement. Founding member of Apristas, a nonviolent socialist revolutionary party.
“It is not enough to be against war. It is necessary to be against everything that serves as an instrument of war.” (Kathleen Weaver, Peruvian Rebel, 2009, p. 135; photo oizquierdo.blogspot.com)
Eliane Lima dos Santos Potiguara born Rio de Janiero, Brazil September 29, 1950. Brazilian author and poet; indigenous rights leader. Created first indigenous organization Grumin, 1982; founded first native newspaper; organized international indigenous conferences. Received Baha'i Global Citizenship Award, 1996; Nobel Peace Prize nominee, 2005.
"God doesn't like religious intolerance which causes wars and conflicts. God wants peace. I want peace. I belong to peace, love, the universe. I am God in action. I have all the religions of the world in my heart and I love all the religions." (World People's Blog; photo Blog das Ruas—por luri Rubim)
Women in Peace
is dedicated to highlighting the achievements of extraordinary, peacemaking women from around the world.
