captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> welcome to "the journal. " the nobel peace prize goes to three women from liberia and yemen. >> ratings agencies strike again, downgrading spanish and italian debt. >> stepping up the attack, fighters in libya go all out to take a gaddafi stronghold. they say that all good things come in threes. three women have been awarded the 2011 nobel prize for peace. the liberian president ellen johnson-sirleaf, the liberian activist tawakkul karman and the

libyan activist tawakkul karman -- liberian activist leymah gbowee and the libyan activist tawakkul karman were awarded the award for peace. >> women must obtain the same opportunities as men to influence development at all levels of society. >> of the three women sharing this year's prize, ellen johnson-sirleaf is the best known internationally. it was a major sensation when she became president of liberia in 2006. she was the first freely elected female head of state in africa. her fellow librarians laureate

is leymah gbowee. she organized demonstrations by women to call for peace and put pressure on the warring factions. >> i am a symbol of hope in my community, on the continent, in the eighth place -- in a place where there has never been held before. you do not do it because you expect an award. >> the third recipient is tawakkul karman, a journalist and activist in yemen. >> i dedicate the prize to be peaceful youth revolution in yemen. >> for months, she has been organizing student rallies against the yemeni president. >> words of praise have been pouring in all of the world to

be nobel peace prize winners. the first to offer congratulations was a former nobel peace prize winner himself. >> the president of liberia. >> desmond tutu had more than just his birthday to celebrate on friday. the south african said liberia's president deserves the prize many times over. >> a place that was going to -- >> the decision was called extremely encouraging. >> over the years, women have been subjected to not being in the spotlight. now we see that we are coming up, and this is an example to occur which other women to take this step. >> the united nations general

secretary was also full of praise. >> this is a testimony to the power of women's leadership. it underscores the vital role women play in peace, security, the element, and human rights. >> the prize is a boost to the wittman's campaigns against war. >> a member from our arabic department joins me here in the studio. thank you for being with me. the nobel committee said part of the reason was to recognize women in the arab spring. how important as their role ben? >> women have played a key role in the arab spring.

the women were participating in what was happening. do not forget the human rights activists who were talking to the foreign media and telling them what was happening on the ground. it was important to the world to see what was happening. even the peace prize winner, tawakkul karman, she was the first woman in yemen to protest against the yemeni president. women will play an important role in the arab spring. women have their own spring through what has happened now in the arab countries. >> let's talk about how important is in these male dominated countries like saudi arabia and yemen to recognize wittman's rights and to give them greater rights? >> such a prize like giving the first arab woman the nobel peace prize is a big recognition from

the international community to speak about the importance of women in the arab countries. we will be aware of our role because she proved that she is an irreplaceable part of society. the men have to except for a side-by-side with them. what has happened in the saudi arabian, allowing women to vote and the candidates, shows that it is going forward. there is still a lot to do for women to fight for their rights, especially in the dark areas. -- in the jobs area. >> theanguage s comeuc re do to savegela aeurop d before those initio the banki

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the euro is trading at $33 labor department says the countryt 3,000 non-farmjobs. most of the new jobs were wi construction, services, and health sectors making new hes in publicseor e unemployment rate is 9.1%. th german economics minister has signed a cooperation agemt thhere government. he led delegation to greece, which includedal wh e prime minister and other top government officials. he steered carf previous comments about agrk e fault. he outlined new deals to

develop renewable energyn greece and the wind and solar energy sectors. >> he may have disappeared from sight, but he isstl ki himself heard. muammar gaddafi issued a new dimeag which was broadcast on syrian tv. he says what is happening in the country is asia raid and he be -- he ned calls for the rebels to keep -- his supporters to keep up the fight. > interim government troops were alarmed as they advanced into the city center. they are cing 1000 gaddafi loyalists. the battle could sllraon for weeks as they wait for nato aisupport. the alliance has bombed targets inheit st sit4es have been reduced to

rubble. food and waterupiear ruing low. the city has been under siege for weeks. ose who managed to lead are lucky. medics a sugintoop in this field hospital run by the libyan council on the outskirts. >> wsaa great number of wounded today. the injuries are serious. most of them are from snipers to taeturen >> many of those battling the doctor's few remaining forces are young libyans. - gaddafi's few remaining forces are young libyans. they hope to schedule free econn by before that can happen, the forces had to secure this city. >> time is running out for a unegti bgger jailed for criticizing the count's

liry he has been on a hunk of -- on a hunger strike. his heal i failing. he is scheduled to have a hearing next tuesday. >> he is the younger brother of the irine blogger. he is visiting a group of activists in a small apartment dntn ir michael is accused of insulting the military establishment and spreading false information. s supporters say he is the first prisoner of conscience in post-revolutionary egypt. >> mha ithon o who was arrested because of his remarks. many others were put before a military tribunal and s fe ailitary court. why is mark -- what is michael the only one to be imprisoned. his pulse do not contain insult.

-- insults. the question is whether people's can accept change. > protesters have returned to to rear square to demand -- ta hrirsquare. many fear his life is in danger. >> they have no rit to try him. >> michael's case has attracted international attention. his family fears he m d fore his hearing next week.

>> welcome back. three women for peace. three women were named nobel peace laureates fourth 2011. a president, a peace activist, and a catalyst. -- and a journalist. the most well known is liberian president ellen johnson-sirleaf. we begin this profile of her. >> it was an historic moment for africa, liberia, as ellen johnson-sirleaf herself. in january, 2006, she became the first woman in africa to hold the country's highest office. johnson-sirleaf soon became known as the country's iron lady.

>> she served as director of the u.n. development program's regional bureau for africa. as a liberian president, she saw to continue that work. >> we are here because we share a fundamental belief that poverty, illiteracy, disease, and in quality do not belong in the 21st century. >> johnson-sirleaf's won the

support of german chancellor angela merkel. johnson-sirleaf's popularity has waned. it is not clear whether her bid to be reelected will be successful. winning the nobel peace prize could provide her with the crucial boost she needs. >> the announcement is to send a message beyond africa and the middle east. the plight of women remains mired in many parts of the world. there is still much work to do in the way of fighting for women's equal rights. >> every day, women across the world fight for their rights in the face of oppression and violence. the nobel decision should inspire them to continue their work, says german chancellor angela merkel. >> i think it is a good sign

that three women who have achieved so much in the world have a -- have received the nobel prize for peace. i hope it will encourage more women and men to fight for freedom, democracy, and injustice. for that, they need equal opportunity in education first and foremost. in countries like pakistan and afghanistan, many parents do not want their girls to go to school. those who do they have to break off their studies because of property or early marriage. >> in saudi arabia, women are not allowed to vote. the president of saudi arabia -- leaders have vowed to change that by 2015. they are not allowed to drive cars. in many african countries, women and girls experience violence

that is in debt in their culture. it is estimated that 3 million women are subjected to a genital mutilation. that is 8000 per day. raping women is used as a weapon of war on every continent. libya is just the latest example. there was reference to u.n. resolution 1325. >> resolution makes violence against women in the armed conflict and international security issues. it underlines the need for women to become participants in the peace process. >> in awarding these prizes, the nobel committee is calling on people around the world to support wittman's fight for freedom. -- women's fight for freedom.

>> we are going to talk more about the peace prize winners. let's start with the impact of this award and what it means for women in the arab world. >> this is big support for arab women in fighting for her rights and equality in the arab region. it gives the push and support for other women who are still struggling on the ground and do not have the strength to open up to other people and to the media to tell them do not give up. i can do it. you can do it, too. most importantly, men dominate society in arab countries. they will change the way they look at women and the way they see women in society. these things will let women step forward for sure. >> we do know that women have played a major role in the arab

spring. let's talk about social media and what role that has plagued? -- played. >> some women have the strength to go out to tahrir square. some did not have the strength because the man did not allow them. they use twitter, facebook, youtube, everything they can use to the international committee aware of what was happening. they were transferring what was happening in the arab countries. women and women-bloggers were doing these jobs. >> are you saying wittman's lives are at greater risk when they go out and protests --

wittman's lives are at greater risk when they go out women's -- women's lives are at greater risk when they go out and win then go out? >> when they look at them, they will say, she does not have the strength to fight back or do her job in a good way. what happened now will change his thinking to see women as an equal parts of society. this prize is important to let men recognize that women are internationally accepted. >> karman is also a journalist. is this a common profession in the arab world? >> doing their work is hard for them on the ground. she was a journalist. she talks to the international

media. she got the attention of the international people to see what was happening in yemen and the arab countries. the government is giving permission for a journalist -- they will think twice before repressing her from doing her job. this is also a change. this prize will have a big impact. reading what is happening on the social media, it is clear that there is going to be a change. >> we certainly thank you for being with us. with that, we wrapped up "the journal." thank you for joining us. stay tuned.

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