Tawakkol Karman: Quotes about the world

“The repercussions of the coup on nascent democracies in the Arab world will be destructive. People may soon lose faith in the democratic process, paving the way for the revival of extremist groups…The coup serves to strengthen the radicals, interrupting the course of peaceful change.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, Egypt's coup has crushed all the freedoms won in the revolution (2013)

People , World , Peace , Faith

“…We are in one world. We are one nation. And therefore, what’s common in between us, what should be common among us, is love and peace.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, Democracy Now! interview (2011)

Love , World , Peace

“Morsy was not only Egypt's democratically elected president, he is now emerging as the Arab world's Nelson Mandela…during Morsy's one-year reign, Egypt enjoyed freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate peacefully, and not a single one of his political opponents were jailed.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, Morsy is the Arab World's Mandela (2013)

World , Freedom

“In my capacity as a leader of the popular and youth revolution in Yemen, I reaffirm our adherence to the peaceful nature of our struggle until the end. At the same time, I ardently call upon the free people of the world to examine what is happening in my country and Syria especially, and to honour their responsibilities to confront rulers who do not hesitate to carry out the most heinous crimes against people who have the temerity to demand their natural rights to freedom and dignity.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, The world must not forsake Yemen's struggle for freedom (2011)

People , Youth , World , Peace

“We in Yemen are no less thirsty for freedom and dignity than our brothers and sisters in Tunis…It was feared that the revolution would descend into violence and distort the image of the other Arab uprisings. But the Yemeni revolution surprised everyone with its astonishingly peaceful nature…What is truly regrettable, though, is that the world has not shown the least interest in what the Saleh regime does with Yemen and its revolutionaries…We in Yemen look forward to a clear stand from the UN, world governments and civil society organisations in condemning the violence of Saleh's regime.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, The world must not forsake Yemen's struggle for freedom (2011)

World , Fear , Peace , Nature

“All the ousted regimes, as well as the oppressive regimes that have hung on during the Arab Spring, have now blessed Egypt's coup…a blossoming democracy in Cairo can easily spread throughout the Arab world…Those who support freedom and democracy in the Middle East, however, should resist the new tyranny in Cairo with all their might.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, Morsy is the Arab World's Mandela (2013)

World , Democracy , Spring , Support

“To begin, I am a citizen of the world. The Earth is my country, and humanity is my nation. This is my motto: What everyone has longed for and will be achieved when all of the people shall also celebrate this prize that every Yemeni, and every Arab, and every human being and every woman has also won beside me.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, Nobel Prize winner highlights women’s role in Arab Spring (2011)

People , World , Country

“I came from Yemen, the country of civilization, the Yemen that was led by two women, and it was one of the greatest countries in the world. We were led by a dictatorship regime, a corrupted regime. This regime was founded in killing others…My country has a lot of poverty, from a lot of diseases, from ignorance. And these are some of the reasons that led us to lead this revolution.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, Democracy Now! interview (2011)

Women , World , Disease , Country

“There is a standalone goal, which is goal number two, on the empowerment of girls and women and achieving gender equality. With regards to violence against women, the panel addresses it at length and in an inclusive way … We’re hoping that this goal and set of targets will put an end into violence and discrimination against women, empower women, and achieve gender equality and justice and for the better development of our world.”

Tawakkol Karman

2000s, Youth Q&A on the U.N. High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Agenda Report (2009)

Women , World , Justice , Hope

“The panel put targets, for example, on nutrition, education, ending preventable child deaths, encouraging birth registration, putting an end to violence against girls, and child marriage — all of which, if enacted, will improve the lives of billions of children throughout the world.”

Tawakkol Karman

2000s, Youth Q&A on the U.N. High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Agenda Report (2009)

Death , Marriage , Children , World

“The international community have to create pressure on Saleh. One, they have to establish an international commission so they can investigate the killing that is happening…Without that justice, and if they leave Saleh alone, there will be no security and peace, not only in Yemen and our region, but also around the world.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, Democracy Now! interview (2011)

World , Peace , Justice , Communication

“The least we desire from the institutions of the free world, and especially the US and the countries of the European Union, is that they appreciate our struggle for freedom. We want them to discharge their responsibilities towards vulnerable people and support them in the face of the cruelty of rulers who continue to kill.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, The world must not forsake Yemen's struggle for freedom (2011)

People , World , Support , Freedom

“The youth are our future, and to change anything in our world going forward we must start with this generation of youth, as they’re the new agents of change…In peacebuilding and promoting human rights, the youth are no longer a silent majority, but now they should be an active stakeholder…Youth are bringing to the table great contributions to the peace and state building and are shaping the future to be more peaceful, equal, and prosperous for all.”

Tawakkol Karman

2000s, Youth Q&A on the U.N. High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Agenda Report (2009)

Youth , World , Peace , Change

“African youth, just like other youth around the world can, for example, engage in the fight against corruption and hold officials accountable…Youth can also play an important role in engaging and educating their fellow and global citizens about the post-2015 global development agenda and ways to achieve our goals so that we can achieve the developments this time around to the greatest extent possible.”

Tawakkol Karman

2000s, Youth Q&A on the U.N. High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Agenda Report (2009)

Youth , World , Education , Way

“We need the nation of equal citizenship. We need a nation that fights corruption, a nation, a state where law rules, a nation where those who abuse their authority are questioned. We want to retrieve our nation, and we want to become citizens in a new world.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, Nobel Prize winner highlights women’s role in Arab Spring (2011)

World , Law , Question , Fight

“The most important pretext for the ousting of President Morsi was the existence of division in Egypt…. My support for the 30 June movement in opposition to Morsi changed after the military coup, which went against all the gains and values of the 25 January revolution…Clearly, the leaders of the military takeover have something to conceal from the watchful eyes of the world…. I now feel I have a responsibility to warn the world of the fact that a fully fledged despotic regime is seeking to reinforce its foundations in the country.”

Tawakkol Karman

2010s, Egypt's coup has crushed all the freedoms won in the revolution (2013)

World , Feeling , Support , Change

“In many places around the world, the LGBT community and individuals infected with HIV/AIDS continue to face discrimination in employment, political representation, and access to health care, including sexual and reproductive health care and rights. They certainly must not be left behind. I will continue to push for the inclusion of these marginalized groups in the post-2015 agenda and beyond.”

Tawakkol Karman

2000s, Youth Q&A on the U.N. High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Agenda Report (2009)

Health , World , Communication