Three women were made this year's Nobel Peace Prize laureates over the weekend, in a ceremony hosted by Helen Mirren and fellow actress Rosario Dawson.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian women's right activist Leymah Gbowee and democracy activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen were all honoured at Sunday's event "for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work."

Their joint win boasts the number of women who have received the peace prize from 12 to 15.

Speaking before the ceremony in Norway, Dame Helen Mirren said the awards marked an "extraordinary moment in the history of women."

But she added that it was "slightly shameful statistically that only 12 women have won it in a 112 years, when you think how important women historically have always been, specifically in terms of peace."

The actress told Associated Press, "It is only a step on a journey that women are taking, and hopefully in 20-30 years time we will be looking at a very different scenario in the world."

Rosario Dawson added, "I love being able to be part of this story and help these voices being as loud as possible because I believe in them and they are our future."

British singer Ellie Goulding was among those performing at the ceremony.

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Picture credit: Rex Features, left to right: Helen Mirren and Rosario Dawson, winners Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman and singer Ellie Goulding

Helen Mirren presents Nobel Prize