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Today marks International Women’s Day – a day for celebrating influential women who are striving for an equal future – free from stigma, stereotypes, and violence.
A future that’s sustainable, peaceful and with equal rights and opportunities available to everyone, regardless of gender.
This year, the theme for International Women’s Day is “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.”
The theme honours the incredible hard work carried out by women and girls around the world, aiming to achieve a positive and equal future, amidst the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
To celebrate this year’s International Women’s day, here is a rundown of some of the most inspirational women who are alive today and the amazing things they have achieved.
Malala Yousafzai
Pakistan-born Malala Yousafzai was recognized for her extraordinary efforts in standing up for the right of women’s education.
Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, ran a girls’ school in the village they lived, aiming to provide the same education to girls as males.
However, when the Taliban moved in, they ordered the school to be shut down as they didn’t believe girls should receive an education. This didn’t discourage Yousafzai who continued to pursue her education.
In 2012, she was shot in the left side of her face by a gun man on her school bus.
Two years later, Malala received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in the Malala Fund, a non-profit organization whose aim is to give girls everywhere a chance at the future they deserve.
Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris is making history, after recently becoming the first Black American woman to be elected as Vice President of the United States. Before becoming Vice President, she served in the Senate and as Attorney-General of California.
She subsequently worked as a deputy district attorney in Oakland from 1990-1998.
This earned her a resilient reputation, as she prosecuted cases of gang violence, drug trafficking, and sexual abuse.
She said: “My mother would look at me and she’d say, ‘Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you are not the last.’”
Greta Thunberg
The 18-year-old climate activist from Sweden is internationally known for challenging world leaders to take urgent action against climate change.
She was recently nominated for a Nobel Prize for a third year in a row and was named as TIME’s Person of the Year in 2019.
She first gained international recognition after skipping her Friday classes each week to campaign outside the Swedish Parliament with a sign reading “Skolstrejk för klimatet:” translating as “School Strike for Climate.”
Since then, Thunberg has set up a non-profit foundation for her #FridaysForFuture campaign.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey rose to fame as an interviewer who had the unique power to emotionally connect with her guests.
This got her noticed by the American public, and since then she has gone from strength to strength.
In 2003 she became the first African American woman to be classed as a billionaire.
As a true reflection of her compassionate and caring personality, Oprah believes in sharing her wealth with those who need it most, having personally donated over $300 million to charitable causes.
Baroness Doreen Lawrence
After the tragic racially motivated murder of her 18-year-old son Stephen Lawrence in south-east London, Doreen campaigned for years to prove that the Metropolitan Police were not investigating properly as a result of “institutional racism”.
Since then, she has campaigned for justice for victims of racist crime, bringing about reforms within the police service.
She also founded the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, and has been nominated to sit on panels within the Home Office and the Police Service. Doreen Lawrence is also a patron of charity Stop Hate UK.