Leymah Gbowee - Wonderful Woman No. 59

Leymah Gbowee - Born 1972
Liberian Peaceful Political Activist and Author

The stories of some of the women featured in this album move me to tears. I am amazed at what women have endured and overcome, I dare anyone to read this blog and tell me women are the weaker of the sexes.

Leymah Gbowee was among a group of women who, during Liberia's second civil war, which lasted from 1989 to 2003, made a quiet but intensely dangerous protest for peace. Every day, the women would dress in white and sit on a sports field in Liberia's capital, Monrovia praying and fasting for peace. In doing this, they risked being shot by the dictator Charles Taylor's army. They did this because they were exhausted by the years of war, by being systematically raped, by watching their men be murdered and seeing their children taken away to be used as soldiers.

Come rain or shine, there they would sit, this there only way of speaking out, of saying they could endure no more.

Leymah is not just here because she is a wonderful woman but also as a representation of the many who sat in the field, who called for peace with such dignity even in the face of such adversity.

We are tired of war. We are tired of running. We are tired of begging for bulgur wheat. We are tired of our children being raped. We are now taking this stand, to secure the future of our children.
Leymah Gbowee

In 2003, Leymah lead thousands of women, from various ethnic and religious groups to Monrovia's City Hall, demanding an end to the war and to meet Charles Taylor. Under Leymah's leadership, the women demanded the three warring factions call a ceasefire and begin peaceful negotiations. Their demands were met, negotiations took place and the Accra Peace Accord was signed. An almighty victory for peace.

Leymah continues to work with women in Liberia, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Sierra Leone to promote peace, education and female political involvement.

In 2011, Leymah was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Her work has been acknowledged with a number of other awards. She has also published the book Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War.

An incredibly wonderful woman.

We the women of Liberia will no more allow ourselves to be raped, abused, misused, maimed and killed. Our children and grandchildren will not be used as killing machines and sex slaves!
Leymah Gbowee