Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Awarded Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2012

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first democratically elected woman head of any African country, has been chosen for the award “for serving as an example and an inspiration for many a woman in Africa and beyond, and for ensuring the return of peace, democracy and development to Liberia.”

President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2012 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday Sep 12,2013

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and chairperson of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust said -
Sirleaf’s commitment to women’s rights was in keeping with Indira Gandhi’s own values, she said. Her story was one of indomitable courage, strong determination and the yearning to achieve greater heights

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said -
Sirleaf, a Nobel Laureate, guided Liberia towards peace, stability, democracy and development after two decades of suppression, violence and conflict

The Award carries a Cash Prize of Rs 25 Lakhs and a Citation

The Award was first given in the year 1986 to Parliamentarians for Global Action ,a non-profit and non-partisan international organization of more than 1,300 free elected legislators from 120 democratic countries


Note

• Ela Bhatt,founder of Self-Employed Women's Association of India (SEWA), was conferred the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2011

• Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the former President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, was conferred the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2010

• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was conferred the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2009