March 8 was International Women’s Day.
This annual day has been observed since the early 1900s, which was a time of expansion and turbulence in the industrialised world that saw a huge growth in population growth and the rise of radical beliefs.
Women across the world celebrate this day as a global day of recognition and celebration, and for decades the event has grown from strength to strength each year.
The United Nations focuses on a different theme every year, and this year’s was ‘Inspiring Change’, which encourages advocacy for women's advancement everywhere. It calls for challenging the status quo for women's equality and vigilance inspiring positive change.
Reading about IWD 2014 got me thinking about how many inspirational women we have seen throughout history and those who have changed the world.
There are so many we could mention, but here are just some of the biggest female heroes of all time and why:
Jane Austen (1775-1817) One of the most popular female authors ever, Jane Austen wrote several novels, which remain highly popular today.
‘Pride and Prejudice’, ‘Emma’ and ‘Northanger Abbey’ were some of her best known favourites.
She wrote at a time when female writers were incredibly rare, helping pave the way for future writers
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) By serving in the Crimean war, Florence Nightingale was instrumental in changing the role and perception of the nursing profession. Her dedicated service won widespread admiration and led to a significant improvement in the treatment of wounded soldiers.
Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928) Suffragette Pankhurst dedicated her life to promoting women’s rights. She explored all avenues of protest including violence, public demonstrations and hunger strikes. She died in 1928, three weeks before women over 21 were given the right to vote.
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) Eleanor was the wife and political aide of American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But in her own right, Eleanor made a significant contribution to the field of human rights, a topic she campaigned upon throughout her life. As head of UN human rights commission, she helped to draft the 1948 UN declaration of human rights.
Mother Teresa (1910-1997) Devoting her life to the service of the poor and needy, Mother Teresa became a global icon for selfless service to others. Through her Missionary of Charities organisation she personally cared for thousands of sick and dying people in Calcutta. She was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1979 and died in 1997.
Rosa Parks (1913-2005) Rosa Parks became known across the world for her refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man - an action which led to some of the most significant civil rights legislation of American history. She tried to play down her role in the civil rights struggle but because of her peaceful and dignified campaigning, became one of the most well respected figures in the civil rights movements.
Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) Love her or loathe her, there’s no denying the first female Prime minister of Great Britain was a woman of influence. One of the most dominant politicians of 20th Century Britain, she defined the 1980s with her own brand of Conservatism, known widely as Thatcherism and her legacy still lives on today.
Anne Frank (1929-1945) Anne Frank’s diary is one of the most widely read books in the world. It reveals the thoughts of a young, yet mature 13-year-old girl, confined to a secret hiding place during the Second World War. A famous quote of hers: “Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.”
Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997) Princess Diana combined her status as a Royal princess with humanitarian charity work. Although she became hugely prevalent in the media for her turbulent private life, she remained popular until her early death, for inspiring others with her natural sympathy with the poor and mistreated.
Who are your inspirational women? Let us know by emailing carmella.delucia@trinitymirror.com.
