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Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2004 09:24:12 -0400
From: monica michael <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: monica michael <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Prof. Wangari
To: [log in to unmask]
Hon. Prof. Wangari Maathai, MP
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Wangari Muta Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya (Africa) in 1940. The first
woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree, Prof. Maathai
obtained a degree in Biological Sciences from Mount St. Scholastica College
in Atchison, Kansas (1964). She subsequently earned a Master of Science
degree from the University of Pittsburgh (1966). She pursued doctoral
studies in Germany and the University of Nairobi, obtaining a Ph.D. (1971)
from the University of Nairobi where she also taught veterinary anatomy. She
became chair of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and an associate
professor in 1976 and 1977 respectively. In both cases, she was the first
woman to attain those positions in he region. Wangari Maathai was active in
the National Council of Women of Kenya in 1976 -87 and was it chairman in
1981-87. It was while she served the National Council of Women that she
introduced the idea of planting trees with the People in 1976 and continued
to develop it into broad-based, grassroots organization whose main focus is
the planting of trees with women groups in order to conserve the environment
and improve their quality of life. However, through the Green belt Movement
she has assisted women in planting more than 20 million trees on their farms
and on schools and church compounds.
In 1986 the Movement established a Pan African Green Belt Network and has
exposed over 40 individuals from other African counties to the approach.
Some of these individuals have established similar tree planting initiatives
in their own countries or they use some of the Green belt movement methods
to improve their efforts. So far some countries have successfully launched
such initiatives in Africa (Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Lesotho, Ethiopia,
Zimbabwe etc). In Sept. 1998 she launched a campaign of the Jubilee 2000
coalition. She has embarked on new challenges, playing a leading global role
as a co-chair, of the Jubilee 2000 Africa Campaign, which seeks cancellation
of the unpayable backlog debts of the poor countries in Africa by the year
2000. Her campaign against land grabbing and rapacious allocation of forests
land that has caught the limelight in the recent past.
Wangari Maathai is internationally recognized for her persistent struggle
for democracy, human rights and environmental conservation. She has
addressed the UN on several occasions and spoke on behalf of women at
special sessions of the General Assembly for the five-year review of the
earth summit. She served on the commission for Global Governance and
commission on the future. She and The Green Belt Movement have received
numerous awards, such as The Sophie Prize (2004), The Petra Kelly Prize for
Environment (2004), Arbor Day Foundation's J. Sterling Morton Award (2004),
Conservation Scientist Award (2004), the WANGO Environment Award (2003),
Outstanding Vision and Commitment Award (2002), Excellence Award from the
Kenyan Community Abroad (2001), The Juliet Hollister Award (2001), the
Golden Ark Award (1994), the Jane Adams Leadership Award (1993), the
Edinburgh Medal (1993), UN's Africa Prize for Leadership (1991), the Goldman
Environmental prize (1991), the Woman of the World (1989), the Windstar
Award for the Environment (1988), the Better World Society Award (1986), the
right livelihood award (1984) and the Woman of the Year Award (1983).
Prof. Maathai is also listed on UNEP's Global 500 Hall of Fame and named one
of the 100 heroines of the world. In June 1997, Wangari was elected by Earth
Times as one of 100 persons in the World who have made a difference in the
environmental arena. Prof. Maathai has also received honorary doctoral
degrees from several institutions around the world: William's college, MA
USA (1990), Hobart & William Smith Colleges (1994), University of Norway
(1997).
The Green Belt Movement and Prof. Wangari Maathai are featured in several
publications including The Green Belt Movement: Sharing the Approach (by
Prof. Wangari Maathai, 2002), Speak Truth to Power (Kerry Kennedy Cuomo,
2000), Women Pioneers for the Environment (Mary Joy Breton, 1998), Hopes
Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet (Frances Moore Lappe and Anna Lappe,
2002), Una Sola Terra: Donna I Medi Ambient Despres de Rio (Brice Lalonde et
al, 1998), Land Ist Leben (Bedrohte Volker, 1993)
Prof. Maathai serves on the boards of several organizations including the UN
Secretary Generals Advisory Board on Disarmament, The Jane Goodall
Institute, Women and Environment Development Organization (WEDO), World
Learning for International Development, Green Cross International,
Environment Liaison Center International, the WorldWIDE Network of Women in
Environmental Work and National Council of Women of Kenya.
In December 2002, Prof. Maathai was elected to parliament with an
overwhelming 98% of the vote. She was subsequently appointed by The
President, as Assistant Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and
Wildlife in Kenya's ninth parliament.
Wangari Maathai (CV)
Monica.
_________________________________________________________________
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