Tawakkol Karman is a journalist from Yemen and the first Arab woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize 2011 for "her non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work." Tawakkol founded the organization 'Women Journalists without Chains', and was imprisoned and persecuted on account of her active engagement. Tawakkol maintained that "Islam is no obstacle to the full acceptance of women in every sphere of society."

Women's rights are still a constant fight, even in the U.S. To quote TalentBlvd’s featured on-camera journalist Caroline Collins "I've faced it all. I've been called "a cute intern" in the field during the early years of my career, I've been "cat-called" during live reports and many times I have felt that people care more about my outfit, hair and makeup than they do the actual content of my reports. Many women I've encountered throughout my career share similar stories. It's a reality we face in the industry as females. "

Although objectification of women does not compare to being persecuted and imprisoned for fighting for equal rights, we should all be allies and strive for equality in both our personal and professional lives. 

Today, for #NobelPrizeDay we honor Tawakkol Karman and encourage all journalists to make every effort possible to ensure equality for women. To quote Ms. Collins again "We must remember to be fearless, support other women in broadcast journalism and continue to advocate for women in the field. Together, as we've seen over the last several decades, we can accomplish anything!"

Source: Tawakkol Karman – Facts. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2022. Wed. 7 Dec 2022. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2011/karman/facts/>

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