Jeb+-+ALD2+-+FA12

=** 1. Date of birth: 29 October 1938, Monrovia, Liberia- Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf  **=


 * 2. Liberia is a country in West Africa. Liberia's coastline contains mostly mangrove forests while the populated inland consist of forests that open to a plateau of drier grasslands. Liberia has a hot and dry climate also covering an area of 43,000 squre miles and is home to about 3.7 million people. English is the official language, but their is 30 indigenous languages spoken within the country. **


 * 3. From 1948 to 55 Ellen Johnson studied accounts and economics at the College of West Africa in Monrovia. After marrying at the age of 17 to James Sirleaf, she traveled to America in 1961 to continue her studies, achieving a degree from the University of Colorado. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf served as Minister of Finance from 1972 to 73, but left after a disagreement over public spending. From 1992 to 97 Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf worked as Assistant Administrator, and then Director, of the UN Development Program Regional Bureau for Africa. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf returned to Liberia in 1997 to run for presidency for the first time. She came second to Charles Taylor. **


 * 4. She successfully led Liberia’s $4.6 billion external debt forgiveness and the lifting of UN trade sanctions to allow Liberia to once again have full access to international markets. She increased the National Budget from $80 million in 2006 to over $672 million in 2012, with an annual Gross Domestic Product growth increase of more than 7 percent. **


 * 5. **
 * Safety and Rule of Law- 33rd **
 * Participation and Human Rights- 18th **
 * Sustainable Economic Opportunity- 45th **
 * Human Development- 39th **


 * 6. As President, Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf has spent the past six years rebuilding post-conflict Liberia. Doing so she was able to attract foreign investment of over $16 billion. She has also attracted more than $5 million of private resources to rebuild schools, clinics and markets, and scholarships. **


 * Throughout her career, she has demonstrated passionate commitment to hard work, integrity and good governance, advocating for the rights of women and the importance of education to provide a better future for her country and its people. **


 * After decades of fighting for freedom, justice and equality in Liberia, in 2011 President Sirleaf shared the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace with two other women. Fellow Liberian Leymah Gbowee, and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen. They were recognized, by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights and the evangelization of peace. **


 * Bibliography- **


 * Evans, Alstair. "Biography: __Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberia's 'IronÂ Lady'"__ About.com African History. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. < http://africanhistory.about.com/od/liberia/p/Sirleaf.htm>. **


 * __"The Executive Mansion."__ The Executive Mansion. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2012.  **


 * Johnson-Sirleaf, Ellen. __This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President.__ N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print. **