The award provided $5 million, disbursed over 10 years, followed by an annual $200,000 stipend for the rest of Johnson Sirleaf’s life. After the first round of voting, however, she was accused by the UP of having supported another presidential candidate: her previous opponent, George Weah. 1938— President of liberia. During 12 years of exile in Kenya and the United States, during which time Liberia collapsed into civil war, Johnson Sirleaf became an influential economist for the World Bank, Citibank, and other international financial institutions. The Nobel Peace Prize 2011, Born: 29 October 1938, Monrovia, Liberia, Residence at the time of the award: After obtaining a master’s degree (1971) in public administration from Harvard University, she entered government service in Liberia. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (1938-) Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent efforts to promote peace and her struggle for women’s rights. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was one of three recipients of the 2011 Nobel Prize for Peace for her efforts to further women’s rights. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. She was educated at the College of West Africa in Monrovia and at age 17 married James Sirleaf (they were later divorced). Ironically, in 2009 Johnson Sirleaf was mentioned in one of the TRC’s reports, which recommended that she, along with a number of others, be banned from holding elective office for 30 years for having supported warring factions in the civil war. In 2005 she again ran for president, vowing to end civil strife and corruption, establish unity, and rebuild the country’s devastated infrastructure. Johnson Sirleaf was … Johnson Sirleaf came to power in 2005, creating peace and economic progress in the country. Tubman and the Congress for Democratic Change party had raised allegations of voting irregularities in the first round. In November 2005, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected President of Liberia and became the first woman to lead an African nation. As Johnson Sirleaf did not win more than 50 percent, a runoff election was held on November 8. She immediately sought debt amelioration and aid from the international community. It was the first transfer of power between democratically elected leaders in Liberia since 1944. As the country attempted to recover from Ebola, Johnson Sirleaf, constitutionally limited to two terms as president, prepared to step down after the 2017 presidential election. After Taylor went into exile in 2003, Johnson Sirleaf returned to Liberia to chair the Commission on Good Governance, which oversaw preparations for democratic elections. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Johnson Sirleaf was one of three recipients, along with Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karmān, of the 2011 Nobel Prize for Peace for their efforts to further women’s rights. , Liberia, Prize motivation: "for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work.". Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. After a tentative truce had been reached in Liberia’s conflict, Johnson Sirleaf ran for president in the 1997 election, representing the Unity Party (UP). Though Johnson Sirleaf was reelected with slightly more than 90 percent of the vote, her victory was clouded by Tubman’s withdrawal and low voter turnout, which was less than half that of the first round. Her father was the first indigenous Liberian to sit in the national legislature. As the first female head of state ever to be democratically elected in Africa, she has worked to promote peace, reconciliation and social and economic development. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected President of the Republic of Liberia in 2005, two years after the nation’s bloody civil war ended. She finished second to Charles Taylor and was forced back into exile when his government charged her with treason. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was educated at the College of West Africa in Monrovia. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf stepped down at the end of her two terms in office. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served as president of Liberia (2006–18), being the first woman elected head of state of an African country. In January 2006, after the Republic of Liberia had been racked by fourteen years of brutal civil conflict, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—Africa's "Iron Lady"—was sworn in as president, an event that marked a tremendous turning point in the history of the West African nation. Six days before the election the Supreme Court dismissed the challenge, noting that the writers of the 1986 constitution could not have foreseen the years of conflict that forced many Liberians to live outside the country. She married in 1955 and, in 1961, travelled with her husband to the US, where she studied economics at Harvard University and other institutions. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was born on October 29, 1938 in Monrovia, Liberia as Ellen Euphemia Johnson. After obtaining a master’s degree (1971) in public administration from Harvard University, she entered government service in Liberia. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Despite having previously pledged to serve only one term as president, in 2010 Johnson Sirleaf announced her intent to stand in the October 2011 presidential election, stating that she still had work to do. The report’s recommendations were not binding, though, and she was buoyed by a widespread demonstration of both domestic and international support. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ellen Eugenia Johnson Sirleaf (detta Ma Ellen "Mamma Ellen"; Monrovia, 29 ottobre 1938) è una politica, economista e imprenditrice liberiana e presidente della Liberia dal 2006 al 2018.. La sua vittoria elettorale fu annunciata formalmente dalla commissione liberiana per le elezioni il 23 novembre 2005. After some time, she moved to the United States to complete her education. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, née Ellen Johnson, (born October 29, 1938, Monrovia, Liberia), Liberian politician and economist who was president of Liberia (2006–18). At the same time, their opportunity to influence events during conflicts is often severely limited. Firstly, she attended the College of West Africa from 1946 -1955. Sirleaf is the first woman elected to head any African government. By Ellen Johnson Sirleaf $100 Million in Cash Vanishes in Liberia, and Fingers Start Pointing Bags of newly minted currency that was printed abroad are nowhere to be found in the West African country. She was released after a short time and allowed to leave the country. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. MLA style: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – Facts. The new President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, dons the presidential sash with assistance from Liberia’s Senior Ambassador-at-Large, George W. Wallace, Jr., during her inauguration ceremony at the Capitol Building in Monrovia, Liberia, January 16, 2006. She married in 1955 and, in 1961, travelled with her husband to the US, where she studied economics at Harvard University and other institutions. William Tolbert and as finance minister (1980–85) in Samuel K. Doe’s military dictatorship. An economist by training, Sirleaf took office in 2006 as the first democratically elected female president in postcolonial Africa. Browse 3,602 ellen johnson sirleaf stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Several outreach organisations and activities have been developed to inspire generations and disseminate knowledge about the Nobel Prize. It features several African women playing leading roles in their respective fields, including Nobel Laureate and former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Wadei Powell, CEO of Srimex Oil &Gas Dr. Williametta Simmons, President, PA Psycological Association, Gina Yashere, comedienne … Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). How will she be remembered? Corrections? Her historic inauguration as Africa’s first democratically elected head of state took place on January 16, 2006. From 1992 to 1997 she was the director of the Regional Bureau for Africa of the United Nations Development Programme. She was the first woman to be elected head of state of an African country. Her running mate of the previous two elections and current vice president of Liberia, Joseph Boakai, became the presidential candidate of her political party, the Unity Party (UP). In addition, she established a Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) in 2006 to probe corruption and heal ethnic tensions. Search instead in … Emerging Africa: How 17 Countries Are Leading the Way by Steven C. Radelet, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf … Sirleaf led Liberia through its post-civil war years and navigated the Ebola outbreak. She is Africa’s first elected female head of state, famously dubbed as the ‘Iron Lady of Africa’. For more than a century, these academic institutions have worked independently to select Nobel Laureates in each prize category. It also brought the possibility of the foundation awarding $200,000 annually over the course of 10 years to charitable causes supported by Johnson Sirleaf. In the African continent rife with the patriarchal rule, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became the symbol of women empowerment when she became the first woman president of … Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf attends a press conference, Monrovia, Liberia, October 14, 2014. Although Johnson Sirleaf’s administration had made efforts to curb corruption, it continued to be a problem during her second term. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf made history as Africa's first elected female president, but also faced accusations of corruption and nepotism. Women's rights and full participation in democratic processes are important to ensure lasting peace. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf First Female President of Liberia & Nobel Peace Laureate Internationally known as “Africa’s Iron Lady,” Nobel Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a As President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf leaves office, it is tempting to speak of her as an “international feminist icon”. In Johnson Sirleaf’s case, she had supported Taylor for a time very early in the war. Liberians go to the polls on October 10, 2017, to pick their first new president in 12 years as Ellen Johnson Sirleaf closes the page on two terms … She was the first woman to be elected head of state of an African country. The summit is being held virtually and will be broadcasted by Essence Studios and on Facebook live. It did not go as smoothly as the first round of voting, however. She won re-election in November 2011, and was inaugurated, on … Although these allegations were widely dismissed as being unsubstantiated, they still cast a pall on the second round of voting, as Tubman announced that he was dropping out of the race and called for voters to boycott the election. After her return to Liberia, she worked for the government, including as the Minister of Finance, prior to the military coup of 1980. His body was dumped behind President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's office when he exposed corruption at NOCAL (National Oil Company of Liberia) where President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's son, Robert Sirleaf, Randolph McClean, and other U.S. citizens worked. She is the first female democratically elected head of state in Africa. È stata la prima donna eletta come capo di Stato in Africa. Look for popular awards and laureates in different fields, and discover the history of the Nobel Prize. On January 16th, 2006, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was inaugurated as the President of Liberia, the post that she still holds to this day. In 1961 Johnson Sirleaf went to the United States to study economics and business administration. Complaints of nepotism also hit the administration, with Johnson Sirleaf herself coming under fire in 2012 because some of her children had high-level jobs in government or state-owned enterprises. As the 70s progressed, life under Liberia's one-party state became more polarised—to the benefit of the Americo-Liberian elite. In February 2018, it was announced that she was awarded the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. Twelve laureates were awarded a Nobel Prize in 2020, for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.