There are so many things happening around us, unhealthy politics, illegal issues and many more, but most women keep themselves busy at home or rather mind their own businesses, hiding away from the world. But, amongst all of these women, some choose to stand up for incidents that are unjust and illegal. Find more about these famous women and their brave deeds.
Ours is a male dominant society, women are usually given a secondary position in society, although things have improved now as compared to the past. Most women were even deprived of the basic education and usually kept busy at home hiding away from the world and its issues. And those who had the privilege of gaining basic learning and reading skills were discouraged to gain further higher education. But today’s scenario seems to be a little better, although not very good. Some parts of the world like India, Pakistan, UAE (United Arab Emirates) and a few others, are still male driven communities and females have no say in politics, legal issues and many other aspects. They don’t even have the right to stand up for the injustice done to them.
In spite of all these hurdles, there have been a few women who have been strong and independent enough to fight the injustice done to them or society. And the existence of such brave woman has been there ever since the 1600s. At that time women of such valor were few, but today women stand at par with men and play a huge role in shaping the male dominant society into a more neutral one. Many women voice their views through their writings while others show it in their deeds. There have been women who also fight for women rights and are successful, to some extent, in reforming the system and restoring the rights of women. A salute to these amazing women! At this point, the words of Elvis Costello’s song seem so true, “she may be the beauty or the beast, the famine or the feast or may turn each day into a heaven or a hell. She may be a hundred different things, within the measure of a day”. This article is dedicated to all those famous women activists who have contributed in shaping the society and made the world a better place to live in.
| Women Activists | Nationality | Short Description |
| Angela Davis | American | Political activist, revolutionary, professor and author |
| Aung San Suu Kyi | Burmese | Writer and activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner |
| Angelina Grimke | American | Women’s rights advocate |
| Annie Besant | American | Women’s rights activist |
| Antoinette Brown | American | Feminist |
| Baroness Afshar | Iranian | Feminist, professor and activist |
| Benazir Butto | Pakistani | Social activist and the former Prime Minister of Pakistan |
| Betty Friedan | American | Feminist, activist, and writer |
| Clara Hale | American | Social reformer |
| Dorothy Day | American | Editor and women’s rights advocate |
| Dolores Huerta | American | Labor leader and activist |
| Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake | Sri Lankan | Activist and chief justice |
| Sonia Johnson | American | Activist and religion leader |
| Emma Goldman | American | Anarchist |
| Elizabeth Cady Stanton | American | Social reformer and feminist |
| Ella Baker | American | Civil rights activist |
| Ernestine Rose | American | Activist |
| Ethel Percy Andrus | American | Social activist |
| Florence Nightingale | British | Nurse and reformer |
| Germaine Greer | British | Reformer, author, and educator |
| Golda Meir | Israeli | Described as the ‘Iron Woman’ and an activist |
| Gloria Steinem | American | Feminist, journalist, lecturer |
| Indira Gandhi | Indian | Activist and the former Prime Minister of India |
| Jane Addams | American | Social worker |
| Jane Goodall | British | Environmentalist, human rights activist, and animal rights activist |
| Judi Bari | American | Environmentalist, feminist, and social activist |
| Julia Butterfly Hill | American | Activist and environmentalist |
| Julia Howe | American | Social reformer |
| June Jordan | American | Human rights activist, poet, writer, and feminist |
| Lady Diana | British | Activist |
| Linda Moulton Howe | American | Journalist, environmentalist, and author |
| Lucretia Mott | American | Social reformer |
| Lucy Stone | American | Feminist and advocate for women’s rights |
| Maggie Kuhn | American | Activist and social worker |
| Mairead Maguire | Irish | Peace activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner |
| Margaret Sanger | American | Nurse and social reformer |
| Marian Eledman | American | Social reformer, lawyer, and author |
| Mary Shelley | Brtish | Writer and women’s rights activist |
| Maya Angelou | American | Author, poet and civil rights activist |
| Mother Teresa | Albanian, Indian | Social worker and reformer |
| Nandita Das | Indian | Social activist and environmentalist |
| Rachel Carson | American | Author on the natural world and environmentalist |
| Rosa Parks | American | Civil rights leader |
| Sally Kempton | American | Writer and feminist |
| Sheila Watt-Cloutier | American | Environmentalist, author, and politician |
| Shirin Ebadi | Iranian | Feminist, lawyer, human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate |
These women are gentle yet firm, dedicated yet strong, straightforward yet ethical, and definitely passionate about their vision. These women have been instrumental in shaping the society and marking the world’s progress!
