Women Of Influence

International women’s day, on 8 March, is celebrated as a public holiday in some countries but largely ignored in many others. We bring you inspiring stories from incredible women around the world who have made their mark but continue to fight for the rights of their less fortunate sisters.

- Kathy Skantzos

Whether they’re actors, prime ministers, students, business people, sporting stars, lawyers, fashion designers, or girls living in remote villages, they all have something striking in common. They’re advocates of a fair, equal world for women, banding together to rally, encourage, support, protest, petition, speak out, campaign and persist for a better world for themselves and others in their communities.

From pushing for more women in technology and equal pay to providing support for those living with the trauma of sexual abuse and encouraging women to speak out about inequalities and drive where it’s forbidden, these are just a handful of stories about the strong and influential women who are doing everything in their power to make their world a better place. Women – and men – continue to come together to advocate for a fairer workplace, equal rights and more freedom for females in such diverse situations globally.

In just the past year or so, we have seen huge movements in the advocacy for women’s rights. The MeToo hashtag grew into a mainstream campaign giving a voice to more than two million women who opened up to share their personal stories. More than that, we’ve seen a fight for legislature change, achievements and accolades awarded, and a light shone on the important issues close to those most passionate about them.

It’s difficult to narrow down the feat of women to just a few pages, but here are our top picks from the hundreds of thousands we could have chosen from.

Angelina Jolie