Member-only story
The Liberian Women’s Movement: How A Handful of Determined Women Ended a Civil War and Restored Sanity to An Insane Country
Also, how we can do the same for the entire world.
It was organized by 3 women: Crystal Roh Gawding and social workers Leymah Gbowee and Comfort Freeman.
This group ended the 2nd Liberian Civil War. This was a movement of thousands of Liberian women — of different religions and classes — united in purpose.
Although Liberia had little protection for human rights, and treated women as second class citizen, they formed a powerful effective movement.
Their tactics included silent protests, sex strikes and threatening to put a curse on opponents.
By 2003, tribal tensions and a long civil war killed more than 250,000 people. Liberian President Charles Taylor and the rebels were brutal. Neither had the ability or inclination towards peace or love.
This war, as in any war, every side that believes in violence, killing and power through force are all “bad guys.”
The women of Liberia had enough. Their children and spouses were forcibly taken to war and often hacked to pieces. Their daughters were raped. They were raped. According to the United Nations, 15,000 children were among the combatants…
