Pink Power Female Icons, Trailblazers and Deities

From rulers to warriors, scientists to activists, actresses to adventurers, Asian heroines have defied societal norms, challenged stereotypes, and paved the way for future generations of women

In our modern assessments of the disparities between women and men, Asia always fares poorly. According to the 2023 edition of the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, which looks at the relative gaps between the sexes on measures of health, education, economy, and politics, Asian regions are furthest from closing the gender gap compared to the rest of the world.

The latest Global Gender Gap Report calculates that, at the current rate of progress, the world's poorest performing region - East Asia and the Pacific - will reach gender parity in 189 years. For the sake of comparison, the best performer, Latin America and the Caribbean, will reach that lofty goal in just 53 years.

Out of 146 countries assessed, Asian countries are among the lowest ranked. Asian powerhouses India, China, and Indonesia are ranked 127th, 107th, and 87th, respectively. Even Singapore, with its advanced economy and cutting-edge industries, is ranked 49th. In Asia, women are poorer, are less educated, have fewer employment opportunities, and have less power - than men.

Without doubt, the modern struggles of Asian women are the result of gender disparities that stretch far back into history. Women have long been suppressed and marginalised by Asia's patriarchal societies, valued for little more than their reproductive roles. As a result, Asian history, both modern and ancient, has allowed too few female leaders, too few female innovators, too few female record breakers.

And yet, there are some. There are Asian women that have gone against tide, broken with tradition, shattered the glass ceiling, made history. They have set records and won awards, they have led their countries and fought their oppressors, and they have provided inspiration and guidance. Heartening examples of "pink power", these pioneering Asian women deserve to be recognised and celebrated.

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