Nobel Women's Initiative

Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama call on President to build clean energy legacy

OTTAWA (September 7, 2011) -  Nine distinguished recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize have written to President Obama, urging him to reject the proposed Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline, saying his decision offers "a critical moment" to make good on his pledge to create a clean energy economy.

"We urge you to say no" to the pipeline and "turn your attention back to supporting renewable sources of energy and clean transportation solutions," says the letter (Download PDF), sent today. "This will be your legacy to Americans and the global community: energy that sustains the lives and livelihoods of future generations."  Read the full text of the letter below.

Amsterdam (September 6, 2011)

Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi and Mairead Maguire of the Nobel Women's Initiative join with Sonke Gender Justice Network, Section 27, the Treatment Action Campaign and the Lesbian and Gay Equality project and other women's rights and social justice organisations in South Africa to call on President Zuma not to appoint Judge Mogoeng Mogoeng to serve as Chief Justice of South Africa's Constitutional Court.
 
South Africa's Constitution is recognised globally for its commitment to achieving equality and advancing human rights. It also recognises the right of women and men to live lives free of violence. Since it was enacted in 1996, South Africa's Constitution has inspired people across Africa and the world.

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For Spanish see below

(August 11, 2011)

On the eve of Prime Minister Harper’s trip to Honduras, the Nobel Women’s Initiative, together with Just Associates and the Center for Women’s Rights, urges Mr Harper to prioritize the erosion of civil and political rights when dealing with country leaders. Both Canada and Honduras must also address the devastating impacts that Canadian mining companies have had on communities in the region, particularly the resulting increased violence against women and women’s rights defenders. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is meeting with President Porfirio Lobo – the first visit by a foreign leader since the re-admission of Honduras to the Organization of American States (OAS) in June 2011.

(Nairobi June 28, 2011) 

On the eve of the Africa Union (AU) Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai is calling on African leaders to respond to the global climate change crisis—a crisis that disproportionately impacts Africans, particularly African women.

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(Ottawa) Sexual violence is widespread in armed conflicts around the world, according to a new report published by the Nobel Women's Initiative, and the perpetrators of these war crimes are benefitting from a "culture of impunity."
 
"War on Women: Time for Action to End Sexual Violence in Conflict" examines studies of sexual violence in five regions of the world, explores the leading causes of such heinous acts, and assesses actions taken by the international community.

--Ottawa  (April 21st, 2011)

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster - and six weeks after the devastating nuclear disaster in Japan - nine Nobel Peace Laureates are calling upon world leaders to invest in safer forms of renewable energy. The six women Peace Laureates of the Nobel Women's Initiative, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, and Jose Ramos Horta   have sent an open letter to 31 heads of state whose countries are currently heavily invested in nuclear power production, or are considering investing in nuclear power.

For Immediate Release

"I MIGHT BE A FEMINIST, BUT..."
Celebrating 100 Years of International Women's Day
       
OTTAWA, March 8, 2011 - Organizations in Ottawa have joined forces to celebrate the 100th International Women's Day with the event "I might be a feminist, but..."  The third annual event is based on the successful "I'm not a feminist, but..." launched by the group in 2009.

"The event is a way to highlight issues of gender equality in a way that is engaging, funny and feminist," said Erin Williams, Executive Director of the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women and one of the organizers of the event. "This year is no exception; we have a great line up including a hilarious parody."

--Ottawa (January 17, 2011)

Six Nobel Peace Laureates--Rigobert Menchu, Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Mairead Maguire, Betty Williams and Wangari Maathai--today joined activists from around the world who are calling on the Mexican government to fully investigate the murder of Marisela Escobdedo Ortiz and her daughter Rubi Marisol Frayre.

Escobedo Ortiz was killed on December 16 while protesting on the steps of the governor's office in the state capital, Chihuahua, demanding progress on her daughter's case.  Rubi was killed in August 2008 by her boyfriend.  Escobedo investigated her daughter's case on her own, and though the killer confessed, he has walked free.

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Suu Kyi spoke earlier today with Williams, who had called Suu Kyi on behalf of all her Nobel sisters.  Among other things, the two women spoke about the continued use of landmines in Burma.  Williams also congratulated Suu Kyi on her release from house arrest, and pledged her support and that of her sister Laureates to keep up the work to free Burma's other 2100 political prisoners. 

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November 30, 2010, 9:00 EST

Fifteen Nobel Peace Laureates—including Jody Williams and the other women of the Nobel Women’s Initiative—today sent a letter to US President Barack Obama asking him to join the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty.

This week the United States is participating as an observer in the Tenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva, Switzerland.

Media Release
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(Tel Aviv), October 6, 2010 –A women’s peace delegation—led by Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams—today wrapped up a seven-day tour of Israel and the Palestinian Occupied Territories.   The delegation of 10 women—mostly American—traveled to Jerusalem, Ramallah, Hebron, Haifa and Nazareth, and met with women peacebuilders, as well as the Israeli military, members of the Knesset, lawyers, Israeli settlers, staff from the United Nations and community leaders.  Their goal was to learn first-hand the challenges to peace—and how some women are overcoming those barriers.

Media Release
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(Jerusalem), October 4, 2010 - Israel's Supreme Court today rejected an appeal from Mairead Maguire's lawyers, and upheld a deportation order against the Nobel Peace Laureate.  On Friday, the Central District Court in Petah Tikvah rejected Maguire's petition to lift the deportation order issued at the Ben-Gurion International Airport last Tuesday, and ordered Maguire to leave Israel. It is expected that Israeli authorities will escort Maguire to a flight bound for Europe tomorrow.

An Israeli judge denied an appeal filed by lawyers to overturn the Israeli government's decision to ban Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire from entering Israel. However, Judge Rami Amir did give Maguire's lawyers an additional 48 hours to petition the supreme court.

Maguire arrived in Israel on Tuesday to join American Nobel Peace Laureate Jody William's for a women's peace delegation. The purpose of the delegation is to highlight the work of Israeli and Palestinian women peace builders.

Download the full press release here.

Media Release
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(Tel Aviv), September 28, 2010--Israeli authorities today refused to allow Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire into Israel.  As Maguire is appealing the denial of entry, she is now being held until her appeal can be heard by the court. 

The Irish peace activist--who won her Nobel Peace Prize in 1976 for her work bringing peace to Northern Ireland--arrived at the Tel Aviv airport this morning from Frankfurt.  Airport authorities allowed Maguire's travel companion and colleague, Ann Patterson, into the country.  Both women were coming to Israel as part of a women's peace delegation organized by the Nobel Women's Initiative, a global organization co-founded by Maguire and five sister Nobel Peace Laureates.

MEDIA ADVISORY                                       
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September 15, 2010 (New York)

The ways that global and social media are fueling the democracy movement of Burma is the focus of a compelling event on September 16. A remarkable panel of Nobel Peace Laureates, Burmese journalists and documentary filmmakers will discuss how media is transforming Burma’s democracy movement, both within Burma and worldwide.

Kampala (June 4, 2010)

The world is facing a critical moment in international justice - especially for women--according to Nobel Laureates Wangari Maathai and Shirin Ebadi.  The two, along with Sudanese civil society and human rights activist, Suzanne Jambo, called for a global end to impunity at the first ever review of the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC) this week in Uganda.

"To bring about peace, justice and reconciliation the world must punish perpetrators and hold them accountable.  The ICC brings hope to victims of the most horrific crimes the world has seen--and should serve as a model for states to strengthen their own justice systems," said Ebadi at a press conference in Kampala on Friday.  "This Review Conference is a critically important opportunity for states to reaffirm their commitment to global justice."

(Kampala)

On Monday, May 31, 2010, a convoy of ships carrying human rights
activists and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza was attacked
by Israeli military forces. Despite this, two additional aid ships
are determined to continue their peaceful mission, insisting their
aim is not provocation but delivering aid to Gaza.

Wangari Maathai warned that Kenya will again descend into violence during the next elections unless there is support for the work of the International Criminal Court.  Maathai made her comments at a Nairobi press conference on Monday.  She will be bringing this message to governments around the world at the first Review Conference of the International Criminal Court in Uganda, being held from May 31 to June 11.

So far, 110 countries have ratified the Rome Statute that created the ICC-- including 30 in Africa.  Maathai noted that the ICC was born in the aftermath of some of the most horrific violence conflicts in the 1990s, including Rwanda and Liberia.

Read the full Media Release .

Read the full text of the press release with findings and recommendations here.

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March 3, 2010, 10 am EST

International Tribunal on Burma Calls for End to Impunity of Military Regime

(New York)  Nobel Peace Laureates Shirin Ebadi and Jody Williams - along with human rights experts Dr. Heisoo Shin (Korea) and Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn (Thailand) - today released the findings and recommendations developed during the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women of Burma held this week in New York City.  The quasi-legal event featured compelling testimony - the first ever - of 12 women from Burma who have suffered rape, torture, and other crimes at the hands of the military junta.  The event highlighted the egregious human rights crimes, including rape as a weapon of war, and called for policymakers to demand a last resort: the International Criminal Court.

On Thursday December 31st 2009 the people of Gaza remembered the beginning of Operation Cast Lead - the 22 day assault during which 1400 people were killed and some 5000 injured by the Israeli military. The crimes against humanity and war crimes perpetrated by the Israeli government are remembered not only by the people of Gaza and by Palestine, but by millions around the world who were shocked and disgusted by this act of barbarity.

December 3, 2009

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Nobel Laureates Wangari Maathai, Shirin Ebadi, Jody Williams, Mairead Maguire, Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Betty Williams

World leaders will shortly gather in Copenhagen to negotiate a post-Kyoto 'climate deal'. Except for cynics who say otherwise, a binding agreement is possible. It's essential for the small-scale woman farmer in Africa, whose children are hungry and whose family has lived through yet another severe drought; the Inuit communities in Canada, who are watching the Arctic ice cap melt and their livelihoods disappear; the people of the Maldives, who are facing rising seas that could engulf much of their country by 2050; and families in California, Spain or Portugal, who are challenged by erratic and destructive wildfires.

In Copenhagen, negotiators have the opportunity to craft a fair, ambitious and legally binding deal.

Read the full text of the statement.      Watch the video.

November 24, 2009

--For Immediate Release--

More than 175 human rights and feminist leaders--including three Nobel Peace Prize winners and leaders of national and international women's organizations-- sent an Open Letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today, urging her to condemn widespread violations of women's human rights in Honduras.  Read the full text of the letter.

Release political prisoners in Burma: Nobel Peace Laureates call for ‘real change’ in lead up to elections

--New Delhi, India, October 29, 2009.

Nobel Peace Laureates—Jody Williams (USA) and Mairead Maguire (Northern Ireland)—today called for governments in the region to use the upcoming elections in Burma to push the military junta of Burma harder on democratic rights.

"The Burmese in exile—like the Tibetans in exile—are building real democracy," said Jody Williams, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her efforts to ban landmines. "The people of Burma, who have suffered for so long, deserve nothing less."

"A world in which nuclear weapons are eliminated... is possible."

--Ottawa, September 24, 2009

In the wake of US President Obama's call at the UN Security Council for great commitment by nations towards disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons a group of 17 Nobel Laureates today issued a call for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

The group—which includes Archbishop Desmond Tutu, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, F.W. de Klerk, Shirin Ebadi, Jody Williams, Mairead Maguire and John Hume—is calling for a comprehensive international ban on nuclear weapons.