To mark International Women's Day 2024, we decided to celebrate the achievements of those women our team considers to be inspirational but underappreciated or unrecognised and collectively have created short posts on why these women we would like to be honoured.
Some of those on our list of inspiring women are from the past, some are from the current day.
Who would you add to the list?
Julie d’Aubigny
Julie d’Aubigny, who lived from 1670 until 1707 in Paris was a shocking woman for her time. Not only was she adored as an opera singer, but she became known for cross-dressing so that she could participate in exclusively male activities, such as fencing. In one wild evening, she interrupted a ball when she attended in men's clothes and kissed a young woman, for which she was challenged to a duel by three different noblemen. She fought all three at once and won, but had to go on the run as duelling was outlawed.
Renee Hector
Renee, a former Watford FC Women defender, is known for her remarkable football talent and resilience. Following an ACL injury in 2020, she shifted her focus towards coaching, earning UEFA B accreditation by late 2022. Now leading Watford FC Women's U23s and contributing to The England U17s elite coaching program, her dedication showcases her potential to become a leading football manager and coach, inspiring many with her journey from player to mentor.
Anne Hidalgo
Anne Hidalgo, marking history as the first female Mayor of Paris, has led the city with visionary policies, especially during her second term amidst the pandemic. Her initiatives, including the introduction of 50 kilometres of pop-up cycle lanes and ambitious plans to transform over half of Paris's parking spaces into green areas, alongside reimagining the Champs-Élysées as a 'fantastic garden', underscore her commitment to sustainable urban development and public health.
Aitana Bonmati
A professional footballer who plays in midfield. Bonmati has won the Champions League twice and the Spanish top league four times with Barcelona. She also won the 2023 World Cup with Spain. Individually, she has won Fifa’s and UEFA’s Women’s Player of the Year, the Ballon d’Or Feminine and many other awards.
Mary Wortley Montagu
Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1752) was an English aristocrat and writer, who played a pivotal role in the fight against smallpox by introducing variolation to Britain after observing its practice in the Ottoman Empire. Despite surviving smallpox and losing her brother to the disease, she faced resistance in promoting this early form of inoculation. However, she successfully demonstrated its effectiveness, including inoculating her daughter, and persuaded the Princess of Wales of its merits, thus laying the groundwork for future vaccination efforts.
Walatta Petros
Walatta Petros is one of thirty women saints in the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥədo Church and one of only six of these women saints with hagiographies. She is heralded particularly for her instrumental involvement in the defence against Roman Catholicism in Ethiopia in the early 1600s, demonstrated by King Susənyos reversing the conversion to Catholicism in 1632.
Many aspects of her life, and influence, are heavily debated due to misinformation in historical records and the delay in an accurate translation of her hagiography written by Gälawdewos’ in 1672.
Grace Darling
In 1838, a passenger ship was wrecked off the coast of the Farne Islands. Grace, who at 22 was supporting her father in running the nearest lighthouse, spotted the wreck and determined that the weather was too stormy for the local lifeboat to launch. She and her father risked their lives to rescue the survivors, taking two trips to the wreck in their small row boat. In total, 18 of the 60 on board were saved, and Grace was heralded as a hero.
Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates has been a transformative force in philanthropy, tirelessly championing gender equality and spearheading global health initiatives. Her work through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has brought critical issues to the forefront, making substantial impacts on the lives of women and girls worldwide.
Assita Kanko
Assita Kanko, since 2019 a Belgian MEP, has made her mark as a vocal human rights activist, politician, and journalist. Known for her outspoken advocacy on behalf of hostages, Kanko brings critical attention to human rights abuses, championing the voiceless and striving for justice in the European Parliament.