Jody Williams

Jody Williams ( born October 9, 1950 in Brattleboro, Vermont) is an American teacher and human rights activist. Together with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which she is the spokesperson, she received the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.

Life and work

Williams studied English and Spanish. Then she opened her 1984 Master's degree in International Relations at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, and then taught English in Mexico, London and Washington.

Your humanitarian work she began in 1984 to 1986 Coordinator of the " Nicaragua - Honduras teaching program," were informed in the American decision-makers in politics and economy of the consequences of the civil war in Central America. After that, she was Deputy Director of the " Medical Aid for El Salvador ". This post she held until 1992 when she became the coordinator of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (International Campaign to Ban Landmines, ICBL ). Back in 1991, they developed a concept for this organization as part of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, which she joined in 1991.

Her biggest success landed Jody Williams, as she could reach the Treaty of Ottawa in September 1997 that the landmines should be banned (some countries, including the United States have not signed the contract ). She convinced the politicians and various organizations from the fact that it is economically necessary to ban landmines, to the long term no longer bear the cost of the medical care of victims must thus saving millions of dollars. Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy proposed to set up this contract that should sign all nations. On 3 December 1997, the landmines were then confirmed by a contract in Ottawa by 122 nations.

For the Treaty of Oslo, the organization as well as their spokesperson have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. Already this year included the International Campaign to Ban Landmines as an umbrella organization already 1,000 organizations and action groups from over 60 nations. Jody Williams continues her work and is currently working for example as Mithelferin the landmine map of the organization.

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