December 1

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Women peacemakers born today

  • 1893 Dorothy Detzer born Ft. Wayne, IN (d. 1981). WILPF National Secretary 1924-46; organized post-WW I Quaker relief to Austria and Russia; lobbied against arms makers and military training; advocated for women in international organizations.

  • 1901 Kothainayaki Ammal born Chengalapattu, Tamil Nadu (d. 1960). Author of 115 novels; playwright; classical singer and composer; editor; speaker; supporter of Vinoba Bhave's nonviolence efforts. Indian freedom fighter; Gandhian follower; twice imprisoned, once for eight months.

  • 1937 Mervat Tallawy born Minya, Upper Egypt. Egyptian diplomat; international administrator; feminist leader; Executive Secretary Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ECSWA) 2001; chair UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) 1991-93; Ambassador to UN agencies Vienna 1988-91; Deputy Director UN Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) 1982-89; delegate to Middle East peace talks 1992-94.

  • 1954 Medha Patkar born Bombay, India. Gandhian; nonviolent protester against Narvada dams; march and fast for life, 1986; recipient of Right Livelihood Award, 1991.

Women's peacemaking on this day

  • 1896 Ghanaian women's nonviolent protest, Accra.

  • 1914 Aletta Jacobs proposed women's peace conference which led to the creation of WILPF.

  • 1949 People’s Republic hosted first Asian Women’s Conference, Beijing.

  • 1955 Rosa Parks started bus boycott in "the decisive arrest" of the Civil Rights movement.

  • 1985 Melbourne women began two-week vigil at US Consulate against US war machine.

  • 1990 Five women and one man arrested in Gulf War protest at Westover Field, Chicopee, MA.

  • 1997 37 Sudanese women arrested in Khartoum for silent march against the draft.

  • 2001 World Satyagraha for Afghan women organized by Emma Bonino; 4,000+ women fasted.

  • 2006 Sonia Sanchez and Grannies for Peace tried for Philadelphia protest.

  • 2009 Catherine Ashton appointed first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, dictating foreign policy.

  • 2014 Wong Tsz-yuet, 17, and Lo Yin-wai, 18, of Hong Kong began hunger strike for democracy.