1 Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Qualities- Women as Role Models in Peace Efforts

This paper is based on a selected range of literature review on the role played by women in peace efforts. Specific role models of women peace laureates and general references of other womens contributions and efforts in peace efforts are discussed to flesh out the innate common qualities of these remarkable women, qualities that predispose them to be natural peace advocates and envoys. Awareness of such qualities serve as passion enablers for every woman to emulate on the road to peace. In short, to quote Professor Francis Sejersted, of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee: In the good fight for peace and reconciliation, we are dependent on persons who set examples, persons who can symbolize what we are seeking and mobilize the best in us. If there is peace in a country or in the world, there are no wars or violent conflicts going on that is how a dictionary defines peace. This, essentially, is saying that when there is an absence of war or hostilities, then peace prevails. However, rather than seeing peace from the negative perspective of not war, most cultures of Cameroon, Somali and the Burundi equate peace with the positive perspective of freshness, health, well being, harmony, calm and tranquility.1 Based on this African concept, peace is equated with freshness and harmony which provided farmers with good crops, fishermen with abundant catches and hunters with game