Founder of Ghana-based WIPSEN-Africa, Leymah Gbowee jointly wins 2011 Nobel Peace Prize with Sirleaf Johnson, Tawakkul Karman

Founder and Executive Director of the Women Peace and Security Network Africa (WIPSEN-Africa) has been jointly adjudged winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.

Leymah Gbowee, a Liberian whose office is located in Ghana, won the Prize together with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia and a woman peace activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen.

The Prize which was announced Friday October 7, 2011 in Oslo, Norway was a women’s affair.

WIPSEN-Africa was established on May 8, 2006 under the laws of the Republic of Ghana as a women-focused, women-led Pan-African Non-Governmental Organization with the core mandate to promote women’s strategic participation and leadership in peace and security governance in Africa.

Gbowee, 39, according to the AFP, lives in Ghana with her six children.

She is noted for mobilizing women’s vote which saw Sirleaf Johnson winning the Liberian elections thereby becoming Africa’s first elected female president.

In 2003 Gbowee and her group managed to force a meeting with former Liberian President Charles Taylor, getting him to promise he would attend peace talks in Ghana, according to the AFP.

By Ekow Quandzie