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Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Becoming Africa’s first elected woman head of state and sharing the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.
Presidential election · Nobel Peace Prize
- Born
- 29 October 1938
- Birthplace
- Monrovia, Liberia
More people
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Ellen Johnson Sirleaf led Liberia from 2006 to 2018 after careers in finance and international development. Her presidency followed years of civil war and the task of rebuilding public institutions.
Early life
School in Monrovia
Attended the College of West Africa.
Further study
Studied in the United States and earned a public-administration master’s degree at Harvard.
Career
- 1979–1980
Finance minister
Served in William Tolbert’s government before the military coup.
- 1980s–1990s
Banking and development
Worked in international banking and led the UNDP’s Africa bureau.
- 2006–2018
Presidency
Served two elected terms in Liberia.
- 2018 onwards
Women’s leadership
Established a centre supporting women’s advancement.
Contributions
Presidential election
Won the election that brought her to office the following year.
Nobel Peace Prize
Shared recognition for women’s rights and peacebuilding.
Peaceful transfer
Handed the presidency to an elected successor.
Beyond politics
Family
Raised four sons from her marriage to James Sirleaf.
Public health
Co-chaired the independent panel reviewing the international response to COVID-19.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: PMO Barbados. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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