Leymah Gbowee, a name synonymous with courage and transformative peace, is a Liberian peace activist, Nobel Laureate, and a tireless advocate for women’s rights. Best known for her role in mobilizing a powerful nonviolent movement that united Christian and Muslim women to end Liberia’s brutal fourteen-year civil war in 2003, Gbowee’s work has reshaped Liberia.
Gbowee’s journey as a peace activist began in the crucible of the Liberian civil war, a conflict that erupted when she was only seventeen. The relentless violence forced her into adulthood overnight and into roles she had never imagined. During the war, she trained as a social worker and trauma counselor, working with ex-child soldiers, and witnessed firsthand the depth of suffering caused by war. These experiences ignited her belief in women’s unique responsibility to build a peaceful future and drove her to co-found the Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET) of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).
Her pivotal moment came when she had a dream that inspired her to organize Christian women to join forces for peace. Recognizing the strength in unity, Gbowee brought together a Muslim partner to form an unprecedented interfaith coalition, the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace. Under WIPNET’s banner, this grassroots movement expanded rapidly, with Gbowee as its spokesperson and leader. Together, these women staged peaceful public protests, eventually drawing thousands to demand peace.
Their persistence paid off. In a bold and highly strategic move, Gbowee led her fellow peace activists to the negotiating tables in Accra, Ghana, where they staged a human blockade, refusing to let warlords leave until they committed to an agreement. This powerful act — coupled with her audacious threat to disrobe, a culturally symbolic gesture — forced the men to stay and negotiate, eventually leading to a peace treaty and the end of the civil war. Shortly after, Liberia elected Africa’s first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a historic achievement partly inspired by the strength of Gbowee’s movement.
Leymah Gbowee’s influence extends far beyond Liberia. In 2006, she co-founded the Women Peace and Security Network Africa (WIPSEN-A), which champions women’s leadership in peacebuilding across Africa. Based in Ghana and Liberia, WIPSEN-A has empowered thousands of young women to become leaders and active participants in peace processes, making Gbowee a pioneering voice for women across the continent.
Today, she continues her mission through the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa (GPFA), which she founded in 2012 to support education and leadership development for girls, women, and youth. Her vision and work have garnered international recognition, earning her positions on several prominent boards, including the Nobel Women’s Initiative, Gbowee Peace Foundation, and PeaceJam Foundation.
Leymah Gbowee is also an accomplished scholar, holding a master’s degree in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University. Her achievements are celebrated globally, including honorary doctorates and fellowships, and she was honored as a flag-bearer at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
