One of our favorite artists of today, Janelle Monae, is set to perform at the 18th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert. And as if that wasn’t good enough soulful songtress Jill Scott will be performing as well with several other international musicians. The concert will take place on December 11th in Oslo, Norway.

This concert is exceptionally special in that this year’s Peace Prize will be awarded to three African women: Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee of Libya and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen.

The women will be recognized for their non-violent struggle in advocating for women’s rights and safety.

L-R: Tawakkul Karman (Yemen) Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia), and Leymah Gbowee (Libya)

Women’s rights is standing front and center today as Yemeni activist Tawakkul Karman, Africa’s first democratically elected female President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee were named winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee honored the three women “for their nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.”

“We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society,” the committee said.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

In 1997, Sirleaf (above on the left) earned the nickname “Iron Lady” despite her loss to Charles Taylor in the presidential election that year. Her participation placed her on the national radar and in 2005 she became the first democratically elected female leader in Africa.

Holding a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University, Sirleaf was seen as a reformer and peacemaker when she took office in Liberia. After her election, she said she hoped young girls would see her as a role model and be inspired.

“I certainly hope more and more of them will be better off, women in Liberia, women in Africa, I hope even women in the world,” she said.

Acknowledging the male dominated society which she leads, buttons from her presidential campaign, for which elections will be held Tuesday, read “Ellen — She’s Our Man.”