The Haitian earthquake has killed thousands, and we have spent the week mourning loss with the victims of this terrible tragedy. The quake also took the lives of three women who've worked tirelessly and effectively to change the lives of women around the world, especially in their home country of Haiti. Myriam Merlet, Magalie Marcelin and Anne Marie Coriolan were all killed during the quake, instantly silencing three of the most impactful leaders of the women's rights movement in the nation.

Myriam Merlet, age 53, died after being crushed under her collapsed Port-au-Prince home. Merlet was the chief of staff of Haiti's "Ministry for Gender and the Rights of Women." Anne Marie Coriolan, 53, served alongside Merlet as a top adviser. She was killed when her boyfriend's house collapsed.
Magalie Marcelin established a women's rights organization that deals with domestic abuse victims. Her daughter helped remove her body from the rubble after the earthquake.

Activists around the world chimed in after the deaths of Merlet, Marcelin and Coriolon, particularly as it pertained to the protection of women during the aftermath of the earthquake. "From where we stand," Taina Bien-Aimé wrote in an e-mail according to CNN, "the most critical and urgent issue is what, if any, contingencies the relief/humanitarian agencies are putting in place not only to ensure that women have easy access to food, water and medical care, but to guarantee their protection."

The protection of women in Haiti is one of the most overlooked concerns during this crisis. Haitian women regularly have their rights violated, and even rape has been used as a political tool in the past. Various women's rights activists who fled the country years ago eventually returned to Haiti to fight for those that were left behind. The value of education and empowerment was evident in their endeavors, as they remembered the old saying, "Great women are rarely well-behaved."

So, although the powers that be were likely unhappy to see these women coming, their lives were spent pursuing a worthwhile cause. I encourage all of us who are getting educated to realize that education is not simply a tool to make more money. Education, in conjunction with courage and passion, can help you change the world. May these great women rest in peace.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.