The 2011 Nobel peace prize was awarded jointly to two Liberians, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and peace activist Leymah Gwobee, who mobilised women to help end the war in Liberia, and to the Yemeni journalist and human rights activist, Tawakul Karman. Karman set up an organisation called Women Journalists without chains and has been a key figure in the uprising against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Karman said,
“This award is not for me rather for the millions who have been marching. The Yemeni revolution is finally getting international recognition. We need to continue seeking international pressure on the oppressive Saleh regime in order for this prize to be of greater value”.
The Nobel peace prize committee said they were chosen “for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work”.
Karman dedicated her award to the Yemeni people and called on the international community to give it value by putting pressure on the Saleh regime. Sirleaf-Johnson said Liberians should be proud and said ti gave her “a stronger commitment to work for reconciliation”
