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[[Category:Caribbean|People]]
'''Wangari Muta Maathai''' (born [[April 1]], [[1940]] in [[Nyeri]], [[Kenya]]) is an [[environmentalism|environmental]] and political [[activist]]. In [[2004]] she became the first [[Africa]]n woman to be awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] for "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace."
[[Category:North American people]]
==Education==
Maathai received her Bachelor's degree in [[Biology]] from Mount St. Scholastica (now [[Benedictine College]]) in 1964, and her Master's degree from the [[University of Pittsburgh]], before returning to [[Nairobi]], where, at the [[University of Nairobi]], she earned the first [[Ph.D.]] awarded to an Eastern African woman (in [[veterinary medicine]]). In [[1971]], she became [[professor]] for [[veterinary]] [[anatomy]] at the University of Nairobi, and then later [[dean]] of her [[faculty]]. In [[2002]] Maathai accepted a position as Visiting Fellow at [[Yale University]]'s [[Global Institute for Sustainable Forestry]].
==Activism and political life==
Maathai founded the [[Green Belt Movement]] - a grass-roots environmental lobby - in [[1977]], which planted 12 million trees across the country to prevent [[soil erosion]]. She came to be affectionately called "Tree Woman". Since then, she has been increasingly active on both environmental and women's issues.
Maathai was also the former chairperson of [[Maendeleo Ya Wanawake]] (the National Council of Women of Kenya). In the [[1980s]] her husband divorced her, saying she was too strong-minded for a woman, and that he was unable to control her. The judge in the divorce case agreed with the husband.
In [[1997]], in Kenya's second multi-party elections marred by ethnic violence, she ran for president of Kenya, but her party withdrew her candidacy. Under the regime of President [[Daniel Arap Moi]], she was imprisoned several times and violently attacked for demanding multi-party elections and an end to corruption and tribal politics. Almost single-handedly she saved Nairobi's [[Uhuru Park]] in [[1989]] by stopping the construction of a giant 60-storey Kenya Times Media Trust business complex by [[Daniel Arap Moi|Moi]]'s business associates. Maathai was elected to parliament in [[2002]] when [[Mwai Kibaki]] defeated [[Uhuru Kenyatta]]. She has been Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife since [[2003]]. She founded the [[Mazingira Green Party of Kenya]] in [[2003]].
==Nobel Peace Prize==
"Maathai stood up courageously against the former oppressive regime in [[Kenya]]" the [[Norwegian Nobel Committee]] said in a statement announcing her as the 2004 [[Nobel Peace Prize]] winner. "Her unique forms of action have contributed to drawing attention to political oppression - nationally and internationally. She has served as inspiration for many in the fight for democratic rights and has especially encouraged women to better their situation."
===Controversy===
Maathai caused a stir among media commentators when, at a press conference following the announcement of the Nobel award, she spoke out in favor of the claim that the [[HIV]] virus was the product of bio-engineering, and then released in Africa by unidentified Western scientists as a [[weapon of mass destruction]] to "punish Blacks". The claim is supported by only a small minority, and is one of many [[AIDS conspiracy theories]]. She has since backed away from a definitive position, saying '"I do not know anything about the origin.... I hope one day we shall know, because that of course is something we all want to know, is where the disease comes from." See also ''Controversy links'' below.
==Awards==
* [[1984]]: [[Right Livelihood Award]] (a.k.a. "Alternative Nobel Prize")
* [[1991]]: [[Goldman Environmental Prize]]
* 1991: [[Africa Prize]]
* [[1993]]: [[Edingburg Medal]] (for "Outstanding contribution to Humanity through Science")
* [[2004]]: [[Petra Kelly Prize]]
* [[2004]]: [[Sophie Prize]].
* [[2004]]: [[Nobel Peace Prize]]
==Bibliography==
* Wangari Maathai, ''The Greenbelt Movement: Sharing the Approach and the Experience'', Lantern Books, 2003. ISBN 159056040X
* Wangari Maathai, ''The Canopy of Hope: My Life Campaigning for Africa, Women, and the Environment'', Lantern books, 2002. ISBN 1590560027
* Wangari Maathai, ''Bottom is Heavy Too: Edinburgh Medal Lecture'', Edinburgh UP, 1994. ISBN 0748605185
==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* [http://nobelprize.org/peace/laureates/2004/index.html Nobel citation]
* [http://www.greenbeltmovement.org The Green Belt Movement]
* [http://odin.dep.no/md/norsk/aktuelt/taler/statsraad_a/022021-090066/dok-bn.html Sofie Prize citation]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3726024.stm BBC synopsis on Wangari's Nobel award]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3726084.stm BBC profile of Wangari]
* [http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/blbio_wangari_maathai.htm Biography on about.com]
* [http://www.goldmanprize.org/recipients/recipientProfile.cfm?recipientID=29 Profile on goldmanprize.org]
*[http://www.fembio.org/women/wangari-maathai.shtml FemBio: Wangari Maathai]
*[http://www.environment.go.ke/ Government of Kenya - Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources] includes a biography of Dr. Maathai
* Controversy links
** [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11037149%255E401,00.html The Australian]
** [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/879829.cms Times of India]
** [http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/article/0,13005,901041018-713166,00.html Time Magazine]
[[Category:Nobel Peace Prize winners|Maathai, Wangari]]
[[Category:Kenyan people|Maathai, Wangari]]
[[Category:1940 births|Maathai, Wangari]]
[[Category:Green politicians|Maathai, Wangari]]
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