Who was the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize?

• A. Jane Addams
• B. Mother Teresa
• C. Malala Yousafzai
• D. Bertha von Suttner

Answer: (D)

Bertha von Suttner, an Austrian writer and peace advocate, was the first woman awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in 1905. Her influential work Lay Down Your Arms and her tireless advocacy for disarmament helped shape attitudes toward peaceful solutions and set a precedent for recognizing female peace activists. The other women listed won in later years—Jane Addams in 1931, Mother Teresa in 1979, and Malala Yousafzai in 2014—so Bertha von Suttner holds the historic distinction as the earliest female laureate in the Peace category.