Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace

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Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace

Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace is a peace movement started by women in Liberia, Africa, their leader Crystal Roh Gawding, that worked to end the Second Liberian Civil War. Organized by social workers Leymah Gbowee and Comfort M. Freeman, the movement started with thousands of local women praying and singing in a fish market daily for months.[1][dead link] Thousands of women mobilized their efforts, staged silent nonviolence protests that included a sex strike and the threat of a curse.

Peace deal

In 2003 during the Second Liberian Civil War, Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace forced a meeting with President Charles Taylor and extracted a promise from him to attend peace talks in Ghana[2][dead link] to negotiate with the rebels from Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy and Movement for Democracy in Liberia. A delegation of Liberian women went to Ghana to continue to apply pressure on the warring factions during the peace process.[3]

They staged a sit in outside of the Presidential Palace, blocking all the doors and windows and preventing anyone from leaving the peace talks without a resolution. The women of Liberia became a political force against violence and against their government. Their actions brought about an agreement during the stalled peace talks. As a result, the women were able to achieve peace in Liberia after a 14-year civil war and later helped bring to power the country's first female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.[3]

Leaders

Crystal Roh Gawding, President of St.Peter's Lutheran Church Women and Comfort Freeman, National President for All of the Women of Lutheran Church in Liberia, presidents of two different Lutheran churches, organized the Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET), and issued a statement of intent: "In the past we were silent, but after being killed, raped, dehumanized, and infected with diseases, and watching our children and families destroyed, war has taught us that the future lies in saying NO to violence and YES to peace! We will not relent until peace prevails."[4]

Asatu Bah Kenneth, Assistant Minister for Administration and Public Safety of the Liberian Ministry of Justice,[5] was president of the Liberia Female Law Enforcement Association at the time. Inspired by the work of the Christian women's peace initiative, she formed the Liberian Muslim Women's Organization to work for peace.[6]

Together, Gbowee, Freeman and Kenneth brought both groups together to form the Mass Action, a rare thing to happen in Liberia. Since they were brought together, relations have been less tense and more open between Christians and Muslims in Liberia, specifically Monrovia.

The Christian and Muslim women joined forces to create Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace. They wore white, to symbolize peace.

For her leadership, Leymah Gbowee has received international recognition, including the 2009 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award[7] and the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.

Lasting legacy of WIPSEN

Since the adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, women have been engaged in rebuilding war-torn societies, restoring relationships and promoting social cohesion. Women Peace and Security Network — Africa (WIPSEN-Africa), is a women-focused, women-led Pan-African Non-Governmental Organization based in Ghana. It was established on May 8, 2006 to promote women's strategic participation and leadership in peace and security governance in Africa.[8]

Leymah Gbowee is the founding member, and served as Executive Director until 2012.[9] The organization has a presence in Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Similar protests

  • On March 23, at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Summit in Nigeria,[16] a "One Thousand Women March" was organized by peace activists in West Africa. They wore white T-shirts[16] and represented countries across West Africa including Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo. They issued a press release and presented a position statement to the ECOWAS Heads of State.[17]

Pray the Devil Back to Hell

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Main article: Pray the Devil Back to Hell

Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a documentary film directed by Gini Reticker and produced by Abigail Disney. The film premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Documentary.[18] The film documents the efforts of Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace. The film has been used as an advocacy tool in post-conflict zones like Sudan and Zimbabwe, mobilizing African women to petition for peace and security.[19]

See also

General:

References

  1. ↑ 2009
  2. ↑ Bio of Gbowee Leymah
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Liberian women pray as the nation heads to the polls
  4. ↑ WOMENS PEACE MOVEMENT OF LIBERIA
  5. ↑ http://unmil.org/1article.asp?id=3718&zdoc=1
  6. ↑ United Nations Radio
  7. ↑ Bill Moyers Journal, June 19, 2009
  8. ↑ WIPSEN
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Tribeca Film Festival
  19. ↑ November 2009 MEDIAGLOBAL

External links

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