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20 defining moments of all time; women are scaling the heights and we are not going to stop
Words Sarah Adama
The future is female. Women are at the back and front line of every radical change and movement sweeping the world. From women breaking records to the shifting norms and values of society recognising the position of women and girls and safeguarding rights. Some of the biggest decisions and greatest moments in history we have witnessed have been entrusted into the hands of a woman. We know that female leadership is not just needed in the world but is vital for the function of society. Around the world, women have boldly stood their ground and inspired movements, hitting milestones in politics, sports, entertainment and many more spheres of endeavour. In the same century we saw the first female Prime Minister to the first female Vice President, it is humbling when we remember that after many centuries, we are still seeing so many firsts. Women have been at the forefront of many of the world’s victories – from Marie Curie pioneering new discoveries in the field of radioactivity to Serena Williams’ unforgettable win in the Australian Open – what is clear is that women are scaling the heights and transforming societies. In various fields, including sports and entertainment, women are doing what they do best: winning.
1955: Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama
When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man, she was arrested and charged with violating laws that segregated passengers by race. Her actions sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted 381 days until segregation on buses ended.
1970: First female Prime Minister of Bangladesh or Sri Lanka
Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the first female Prime Minister in the world, and the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, when she was chosen to lead the Sri Lankan Freedom Party government in 1960. Bandaranaike preceded her husband, who was assassinated after serving three terms.
2007: Nancy Pelosi becomes the first female speaker of the House of Representatives
2012: I am Malala: The girl who was shot by the Taliban
The Western world watched as a young Malala Yousafzai fought for her life when she was shot by the Taliban group in her hometown Pakistan for wanting an education. Malala was given admission to the world’s most prestigious Oxford University and graduated last year. She received a Nobel peace prize in 2014, being the youngest person to receive the award.
2017: Serena Williams wins her 23rd Grand Slam
One of the greatest athletes of all time, Serena’s performance in the 2017 Australian Open was particularly remarkable and one that can never be forgotten. What was unbeknown to anyone watching at the time was that Williams was smashing the Grand Slam record while pregnant with her daughter, Olympia.
2017: Scotland passes Law to end period poverty
The Scottish parliament voted unanimously in favour of the Period Products bill in November 2020, the first country to allow free and universal access to menstrual products. Groups across the globe have been campaigning against period poverty; the cost of menstrual products and VAT leave many women and girls unable to safely manage their periods.
2019: Nasa All-Woman spacewalk
In 2019, Astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch became the first women to conduct the 221st spacewalk in support of space station assembly.
Women are making major contributions to the space program at a time where NASA seeks to put forward the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024 with the Artemis Lunar program.
2019: Sandra Oh first Asian woman to host Golden Globe awards
2019: Greta Thunberg inspires the world with a fiery speech at UN
2017-2020: Laws safeguarding the rights and equal treatment of women protecting women
Across the world, women’s rights have been recognised. Whether this is as a result of changing social values or mounting pressure on governments to change policies - sometimes a combination of both - we have witnessed major changes in political and corporate governance.
In summer 2017, Lebanon repealed a controversial ‘Marry your rapist’ law, Saudi Arabia reformed its guardianship laws giving women unprecedented mobility, particularly those over the age of 21. India in 2017 ruled sex with minors as illegal, whilst a historic decision in the UAE in June 2018 saw a law passed which granted women the right to drive. Iceland became the first country to enforce equal pay for women in 2018 and after years of activism, 2020 saw new domestic violence laws in Kuwait as hope for the protection and advancement of women’s rights.
2019: ‘Women’s Wall’ - Millions of Women in India form a human chain to protest against a temple ban
2020: World leaders prove themselves in times of Crises
As governments across the world worked to respond to the unforeseen global pandemic of Covid-19, the facts revealed that women-led economies had quicker and stronger responses. Quick and decisive action by leaders in New Zealand, Germany, Finland and more reduced the rate of infections and led to lower deaths.
2020: Zendaya becomes the youngest ever winner of Best Actress in a Drama Series Emmy
2020: Citigroup becomes the first Wall Street bank to be run by female CEO
When Citigroup appointed Scottish American banker Jane Fraser to be its next Chief Executive at a time of global economic weakness, she joined the category of the 38 out of Fortune 500 companies that had female Chief executives at the start of August 2020.
The promotion makes Fraser one of the most prominent women in businesses and one of the few women at the top of the global banking industry.