On Friday, the Nobel Committee announced the winner of the Peaze Prize: three women will share the honor this year. Yemen women's rights activist and journalist, Tawakkul Karman (above left); the democratically elected president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (above center); and Liberian peace activist, Leymah Gbowee (above right) were selected. The committee's chairman told the Associated Press that, with the choice of Karman selection in particular, the Prize was "a signal that the Arab Spring cannot be successful without including the women in it." The Nobel release read: 

It is the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s hope that the prize to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman will help to bring an end to the suppression of women that still occurs in many countries, and to realise the great potential for democracy and peace that women can represent.

Karman, appears to be the first to have a quoted reaction to the award and dedicated it, via BBC News:

"I'm so happy with the news of this prize and I dedicate it to all the martyrs and wounded of the Arab Spring ... in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and Syria and to all the free people who are fighting for their rights and freedoms. Actually I didn't know I was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize until now. I only knew about it through BBC Arabic and al-Jazeera, so thank you very much."

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Erik Hayden