Joyce Neu

Overview

Joyce Neu born August 27, 1950. Linguist and conflict resolution expert. Peace Corps Volunteer, Senegal, 1972-74. Founded Facilitating Peace; first team leader of UN Standby Mediation Experts, 2008; facilitated Sudanese women’s discussions. Founding Director, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice; Director, Conflict Resolution Program Carter Center, providing mediation in Republic of Congo, Mali, Sudan, Uganda. Co-founder, Alliance for Peacebuilding and the Center for Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at Penn State University.

Quotations

“Women have skills that benefit them greatly as mediators. In many communities, women are turned to to bring the parties together as they know the parties and the issues. I'm not talking about women like you or me who are from outside the conflict, but women who are living in that community, who are often viewed as more trustworthy, as more willing to listen. These qualities may be stereotypically female, but they're also beneficial to a peace process.” (Women in Foreign Policy, Sep. 10, 2017; photo womeninforeignpolicy.org)

Farida Nabourema

Overview

Farida Bemba Nabourema born Lomé, Togo April 19, 1990. Togolese human rights blogger.

Quotations

“The only compensation any activist should expect is posterity. Fight for others because others fought for you.” (Nobel Women’s Initiative, Nov. 25, 2017)

“In the human race, oppression is the weapon of predators.” (photo African youth excellence)

Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera

Overview

Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera born Kampala, Uganda April 12, 1980. Alternative Nobel Peace Prize Right Livelihood award 2015; Ennals Human Rights Prize 2011; “founding mother” Ugandan LGBT civil rights movement, 1999.

Quotations

“It’s very important that we are who we are, especially looking back in history at how our race has been undermined, it's important for us to stand up and be counted. Our black pride should never be allowed to be discounted again because of our skin colour. It is important that we work and achieve greatness for ourselves instead of waiting for others to do that for us. We cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand and feel sorry for ourselves, we need to stand with our heads high and proud for trying our best to make this world a better place for justice and equality, freedom and liberation.” Wikipedia; photo pri.org)

Leigh-Ann Naidoo

Overview

Leigh-Ann Naidoo born Durban, Natal, South Africa July 12, 1975. Olympic beach volleyball player. Illegally seized aboard the Zaytouna-Oliva, the Women’s Boat to Gaza, in nonviolent effort to aid Gaza; detained two days, 2016.

Quotations

“[W]e have been intercepted and kidnapped by the Israeli occupation forces.” (All4Women, Oct. 6, 2016)

“[W]hy take the risk to struggle for Palestine? Because apartheid is something we experienced in South Africa and I feel there are so many similarities with the way Israel operates and treats the Palestinians.” (Palestine Chronicle, Oct. 10, 2016; photo mg.co.za)

Chouchou Namegabe

Overview

Chouchou Namegabe born Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo March 30, 1978. Radio journalist. Co-founded South Kivu Women's Media Association AFEM to eradicate sexual violence as weapon of war, 2003; AFEM president, 2005-present.

Quotations

"Rape and sexual violence [are] used as a weapon and tactic of war to destroy the community." (to US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, May 2009, in IIP Digital, September 10, 2012)

Alice Wairimu Nderitu

Overview

Alice Wairimu Nderitu born Nairobi, Kenya January 9, 1968. Commissioner Kenya’s National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), 2009 resolving ethnic conflicts; instrumental in peace referendum, 2010; sole woman who negotiated Nakuru Peace, 2012; prison reformer; Joan Kroc WomenPeacemaker, 2012.

Quotations

“[T]he bigger issues that lead to ethnic differences, [are] the ones you can’t see straight away. If you don’t deal with what’s under the surface, the real issues, then you won’t have real peace.” (Stephanie Chiu, “A Leopard’s Tale”, p. 39; photo inclusivesecurity.org)

Lilian Ngoyi

Overview

Lilian Ngoyi born Pretoria, South Africa September 24, 1911 (d. 1980). "Mother of Black Resistance" who insisted on nonviolence; President of ANC Women 1953; won international support 1955; led 20,000 march 1956; arrested and put in solitary jail 71 days; banned 11 years.

Quotations

Strike the women
Strike a rock
You'll be crushed
(freedom song during march)

"[T]he world would never be safe for black people until they were in the government with the power to make laws." (Barbara Solomon, ed., African Quilt, 2013; photo Wikipedia)

Maite Nkoana-Mashabane

Overview

Maite Nkoana-Mashabane born Makgobaskloof, Limpopo, South Africa September 30, 1963. Anti-Apartheid leader; diplomat: Minister of International Relations 2009, High Commissioner to India 1999, Malaysia 1995; Chaired UN Climate conference Durban 2011.

Quotations

On the Libya war: "South Africa condemns the violence against civilians perpetrated by all parties as well as to the damage to civilian infrastructure. South Africa calls on the international community, including the United Nations Security Council to focus its energies on finding a political solution to the Libyan crisis and not a military one." (United Nations, June 16, 2011; photo thenewage.co.za)

Flora Nwapa

Overview

Flora Nwapa (née Florence Nwanzuruahu Nkiru Nwapa), born Oguata, Eastern Nigeria January 13, 1931 (d. 1993). “Mother of modern African literature.” Publisher; wrote about Biafra War in Never Again, 1975.

Quotations

“What arrogance, what stupidity led us to this desolation, to this madness, to this wickedness, to this war, to this death? When this cruel war was over, there will be no more war. It will not happen again, never again. Never again, never again." (Never Again, p. 73; photo howng.com)

Prisca Nyambe

Overview

Prisca Matimba Nyambe born Zambia December 31, 1957. Judge International Criminal Court ad litem 2004, full member 2009; counsel to court on Rwanda 2002-6; mission to Dem. Rep. Congo for UN Human Rights Commission 2007; dissented in genocide conviction of Tolimir, 2012.

Quotations

“[The evidence] is entirely circumstantial, based on presumptions, suppositions, and [Tolimir's] professional association with those who committed the crimes that are the subject of this indictment. [There is nothing] linking him to the crimes committed by his subordinates, nor does the evidence suggest that he knew those crimes were being perpetrated.” (War Crimes Prosecution Watch, Dec. 17, 2012; photo slavicnet.com)