Plestia Alaqad, Palestinian journalist chosen by Emmen Ackrim

Plestia Alaqad is a Palestinian journalist and poet from Gaza who gained recognition while posting video diaries documenting her life in Gaza since late 2023. In her own words, her video diaries are a way to show the world more than just the pain and hurt of civilians, as she seeks to provide a glimpse into the beauty of Gaza and the humanity of its people. Alaqad’s videos have been shared by the BBC, the Independent, the New York Times, and The Washington Post. She has bravely served as a voice for many civilians and provided updates to the world on the ongoing crisis. 

Madeleine Albright, American diplomat who served as the first female US Secretary of State chosen by Verity Freeman

A prominent figure in American history, Madeleine Albright was a professor, author, diplomat, and businesswoman who served as the 64th Secretary of State of the United States, becoming the first woman to hold this post. 

She used her position to advocate for human rights, and her diplomatic efforts included advocating for NATO expansion, brokering peace agreements in the Balkans, and addressing nuclear proliferation challenges. She advocated for NATO intervention in Kosovo in 1999, normalising US relations with China and Vietnam, and became the first Secretary of State to travel to North Korea.

Before her appointment, she served as the US Ambassador to the United Nations. 

Her Czech parents fled Nazi Germany in 1939 and she became a naturalised citizen when in college, meaning that she was not eligible to become President despite becoming the highest-ranking woman in the US Government.

After leaving public office she remained an influential figure in academia and participated in international affairs discussions. Her legacy continues to inspire women in diplomacy and politics worldwide.

Baroness Amos, British Labour Party politician and diplomat who served as the eighth UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator chosen by Josephine Serwaah-Mintah

Baroness Valerie Amos is a Guyana-born British politician with significant influence in the field of policy. She is known for her active involvement in campaigning and lobbying for human rights, social justice, and equality issues.

Baroness Amos serves as an inspiration for many women, especially those of Black ethnicity, due to her proactive efforts in addressing the challenges faced by marginalised communities and influencing policymaking to foster beneficial transformations. Her efforts to strengthen employment protections for part-time workers, the majority of whom were women, are among her many achievements. Among her many victories, between 2003 to 2007, she became the first woman of African heritage to serve in a British Government and to be the leader of the House of Lords.

Baroness Amos and Collen Amos OBE founded the Amos Bursary in 2009 to address growing socioeconomic disparities in schooling and beyond. This organisation supports African and Caribbean youth who confront socio-economic environmental problems daily and ensures that they succeed in education and beyond.

Currently, Baroness Amos is Oxford’s first Black college head. Valerie Amos has inspired women, particularly black women, with her achievements. Her impact has transformed lives and challenged mainstream narratives.

Bernadette Devlin, Irish civil rights leader and former politician chosen by Eliza Kehoe

Bernadette Devlin is an Irish civil rights leader and a former politician who campaigned for Catholic civil rights in British-controlled Ulster. She was elected to the House of Commons in 1969, making her the youngest ever female MP at 21 years old. Over the next decades, inside and out of Parliament, Bernadette continued to campaign for equality in the North – surviving an assassination attempt by Ulster Unionist paramilitaries along the way. While on a US tour to raise money for the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland, she famously gave the key to New York City to the Black Panthers in a gesture of solidarity with the black liberation and socialist movements in America. 

I am in awe of Devlin’s bravery and her willingness to stand up for what she believed in. A true revolutionary, she challenged conventions and embraced controversy in her fight to end sectarianism in the North. Her resilience in the face of adversity is truly inspiring and showcases her indomitable spirit and determination to enact meaningful change.  

Jaha Dukureh, Gambian women’s right activist and anti-female genital mutilation campaigner chosen by Grace Stockland

Jaha Dukureh is a renowned Gambian women’s rights activist, anti-female genital mutilation campaigner, and survivor of female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage. She is a real-life example of how, even in the face of extreme adversity, individuals can use their experiences to make positive changes for women globally.

Jaha is the CEO and Founder of the NGO Safe Hands for Girls, which supports survivors of FGM in Africa and attempts to address its devasting impact. She also played a pivotal role in the banning of FGM by the Gambian Government in 2015. Her work extends beyond the African continent, whereby she aided the Obama administration in their investigation into FGM in the United States. As a result of her work, Ms Dukureh was named on Time Magazine’s 2016 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2018, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and appointed Regional UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for Africa. 

Jaha Dukureh has been essential in tackling the global prevalence of FGM, which violates the human rights of women and girls. She is an inspirational character who highlights the continued importance of fighting for women. 

Shirin Ebadi, Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner, fighting to reform women’s rights in Iran chosen by Hannah Dordi

Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, writer, teacher and former judge who received the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote the human rights of women and children in Iran. She was the first Muslim woman and Iranian to receive the award.

In 1975, she became the first female president of the Tehran city court and one of the first female judges in Iran, serving until the Iranian revolution when she was temporarily dismissed. As a lawyer, she has taken up pro bono cases of women and dissident figures who have fallen foul of the judiciary. For this she was found guilty of “disturbing public opinion”, given a prison term and fined. 

Ebadi helped found the Defenders of Human Rights Centre, which was closed by the Government, and she went into exile in the UK shortly after. Despite repeated harassment from the Government due to her sex, Shirin Ebadi has remained defiant and continued to agitate for reforms in Iran.

Mia Mottley, PM of Barbados, UNEP Champion of the earth chosen by Jessica Hazel

Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, was named the United Nations Champion of the Earth in the Policy Leadership category for her powerful voice for a sustainable world. Mia won her first political seat at the age of 28 and became the first female Prime Minister of Barbados, winning a landslide re-election in 2022.

Mia has been a powerful voice on the world stage for responsible stewardship of the planet and at COP26 in Glasgow she rebuked the world’s leaders of the Global North for the lack of progress in limiting the potential adverse effects of climate change. 

She was featured on the cover of TIME magazine, the first Barbadian to do so, for the 2022 edition of ‘’100 most influential people’’ for her advocacy on climate change. 

Janina Ochojska, Polish MEP, founder of the Polish Humanitarian Action chosen by Emilia Pankiewicz

In 1994, Janina Ochojska, a current Member of the European Parliament, was awarded the title of ‘Woman of Europe’. 20 years later, the Polish MEP continues to inspire women across the globe. 

Ochojska is mainly known as the founded the Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH), initially established in response to the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The organisation has provided aid to millions of people in more than 40 countries.

Besides her strong activities related to humanitarian aid and rights of people with disabilities, the MEP has a Master’s degree in astronomy. She is the living example of the fact that women can do anything. They can shift from being a scientist to a humanitarian and a politician. 

Over the last five years, Ochojska has also inspired cancer survivors and people with grave diseases. Before starting her career in the European Parliament, the politician was diagnosed with breast cancer. In the recent weeks, Janina Ochojska reported that she had overcame the disease. She keeps outlining the importance of medical check-ups and stating that “cancer is not a death sentence”.

Samantha Power, American journalist and correspondent during the Bosnian war, former US Ambassador to the UN, current US Administrator for the International Development Agency chosen by Sibylla van de Voorde

From a young age, Samantha Power has dedicated her life to defending human rights, whether it was reporting about committed crimes during the war in Bosnia in her early 20s or representing the United States as an Ambassador at the United Nations, the youngest-ever person to be holding that position.

She has shown resilience, and ambition, and has made it her mission to advocate that countries take action when and where it is needed most. She inspires me to think that everything is possible and that no one should make you think otherwise. She has shown that anyone is capable of making a change in this world, changing bad habits of the people and governments, whether they are small or not, or whether they will have a big impact or not. Either way, it will impact someone, but most importantly, you in being the best version of yourself and be the change you want to see in the world.  

Professor Dame Lesley Regan, Chair of Wellbeing of Women and England’s first ever Women’s Health Ambassador chosen by Sophia Corfield

In 2022, Professor Dame Lesley Regan was appointed the first Women’s Health Ambassador for England. Having spent a 42-year career in women’s health, Professor Regan is a huge advocate for promoting gender equality across healthcare. 

Professor Regan has a raft of experience in women’s health. She is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Honorary Secretary of FIGO, and Chair of the Charity Wellbeing of Women. She was also the 30th President of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists from 2016 to 2019 – only the second woman to be elected to this position and the first in 64 years.  

Women’s health has traditionally been underfunded and neglected in medical research – making it one of the biggest missed opportunities in health and highlighting the importance of having strong advocates in this space. Concerningly, the UK suffers from the largest gender health gap in the G20, and the 12th largest globally. 

As one of the key players in this area, Professor Regan has had a huge impact in advancing women’s health, promoting gender equality across healthcare and ensuring the individual needs of women are addressed. 

Baroness Scotland of Asthal, Current Secretary General of the Commonwealth and former Attorney General chosen by Hattie Ireland

A woman of many firsts, Baroness Scotland is the current Secretary General of the Commonwealth, the first woman to hold the position. In 1991, she was the first black woman to be appointed a QC and, under Brown’s Government in 2007, became the first female Attorney General.

As an FCDO minister in the Blair Government, she introduced the International Criminal Court Bill which brought UK law into jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. She went on to serve in the Home Office where she was responsible for major reforms to our criminal justice system focusing on reducing reoffending, victim support and action against domestic violence. 

Throughout her career she has been a tireless campaigner for the promotion of pro bono as a tenet of the British legal system. 

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