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10/8/11 (AEIN) The Nobel Peace Prize for 2011 was jointly awarded to three woman on Friday. The recipients include Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Yemeni women's rights activist Tawakkul Karman, VOA reported.
The judges admired the three recipients' non-violent efforts to improve women's rights and bring an end to war. Sirleaf, the first elected female leader of an African country, said that she was "humbled" to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon congratulated the winners and praised the judges' decision, according to a U.N. statement. He also spoke about the beneficial efforts carried out by women in many countries to promote peace and justice.
Past recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize include Bishop Desmond Tutu, Mother Teresa and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., according to the Information Please almanac. Some organizations have also received the prize, such as the Red Cross and UNICEF.