The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University has named Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as the tenth recipient of the O’Connor Justice Prize. Established in honor of the late United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the annual award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding efforts to the rule of law, justice, and human rights around the world.
In 2005, just two years after the end of a decades-long civil war, Johnson Sirleaf was elected president of the Republic of Liberia, making her the first democratically elected woman head of state in Africa. During her two-term presidency, she led the country through the Ebola crisis and helped stabilize the national budget. Her efforts earned her the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011, the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Ibrahim Prize – the most prestigious award for African leaders.
Since stepping down from her presidency in 2018, Johnson Sirleaf has continued her work as a global advocate for human rights. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served as co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response within the World Health Organization. She is a member of the inaugural Development Advisory Council for the United States International Development Finance Corporation and founder of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development.
Johnson Sirleaf holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Colorado Boulder and a master of public administration degree from Harvard Kennedy School.
