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“This Nobel Peace Prize recognizes what human rights activists have known for decades: that the promotion of equality is essential to building just and peaceful societies worldwide,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International. “The tireless work of these and countless other activists brings us closer to a world where women will see their rights protected and enjoy growing influence at all levels of government.”

“Today it is not just these three leading women who are being celebrated, but everyone who have fought for human rights and equality their societies,” said Salil Shetty. “The Nobel Committee’s choice this year will encourage women everywhere to continue fighting for their rights.”

The Nobel Committee divided the 2011 award in three parts between Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni activist Tawakkul Karman.

• Johnson Sirleaf is the first woman to be democratically elected as President of an African country. Amnesty International in the past considered her to be a prisoner of conscience, jailed for her opposition to the ruling government in 1985.
• Gbowee mobilized women across ethnic and religious lines to help end war in Liberia and ensure women’s participation in elections there.
• Karman is a Yemeni human rights activist who has been a leading figure in mass protests against the government in 2011.

The Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded at a ceremony in Oslo on 10 December.

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Palestinian armed groups reportedly fired at least 10 indiscriminate rockets into southern Israel today, injuring at least six people - one seriously - in the Israeli town of Ashdod.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued air strikes on multiple locations in Gaza, following a series of strikes on Thursday and overnight that killed at least seven people, including two children and four members of the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees.

"The civilian deaths and injuries over the last two days in Israel and Gaza are deeply alarming and the escalating attacks underline the need for both sides to the conflict to take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian casualties," said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Programme.

At least 20 Palestinians had been injured by 2pm local time on Friday. The ambulance and emergency services in Gaza reported that the majority of those injured were women and children.

Six Israeli civilians, one soldier and one policeman were killed in attacks yesterday on two buses, a private car and a military vehicle in southern Israel. More than 30 Israelis were injured, including civilians and military personnel. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks but the Israeli government has blamed the Popular Resistance Committees.

"Palestinian armed groups must immediately cease firing indiscriminate rockets into Israel," said Malcolm Smart. "For their part, Israeli forces must comply with the same rules of international humanitarian law, which prohibit attacks on civilians and indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks. All parties must distinguish between civilians and military targets.”