As the controversial American psychologist Timothy LearyAn American psychologist and author known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs. once said: "Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition."

Women are forming their own frontiers of knowledge, justice and achievement. And this year has been no exception. Whether as activists, journalists, advocatesSomeone who publicly supports or recommends a particular policy. The word originates from the Latin vocare, meaning to call., filmmakers or academics, great women have been at the forefront in 2024.

1.Bisan Owda. She posts videos on Instagram, but Bisan Owda is no typical influencer. Her videos document her daily life as a Palestinian journalist in Gaza, where she describes acute food, water and medicine shortages, visits communities reduced to rubble, and has frank discussions about her fears for her and her family's lives. Since October 2023, Owda has amassed five million followers. She has been praised for being the human face of what Amnesty International has described as a genocide of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel.¹ Her documentary It's Bisan From Gaza - and I'm Still Alive won a 2024 Peabody AwardThe Peabody Award was created to honour excellence in radio broadcasting as the radio industry's equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. as well as an EmmyThe Emmy Awards are television industry awards. . The feature chronicles her family's journey as they flee the bombardment of their home in Beit Hanoun.

2. Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke. As New Zealand's most prominent Gen Z parliamentarian, you would expect Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke to have mastered the viral moment. But Maipi-Clarke, who at 22 years old is the youngest MP to be elected in New Zealand in 170 years, stunned the world earlier this year when she performed a traditional ceremonial dance in parliament. Maipi-Clarke began the dance, known as a haka, after being asked whether her party supported a controversial bill which many thought was a step towards dismantling Maori rights. Maori people constitute around one million of New Zealand's five million population.² Within hours, she had become a global icon. But the young Maori politician has no intention of stopping her advocacy for indigenous people, and intends to be a kaitiaki (guardian) of the Maori language and tradition.

3. Mahrang Baloch. Dr Mahrang Baloch was only 16 when her father was abductedTaken by force, or kidnapped. by security forces for the first time. Two years later, he was taken again, tortured, and then found dead. Six years after her father died, her brother was abducted. Since then, Mahrang has been protesting against the abduction, torture and murder of men in Balochistan, a province of Pakistan, by security services. She has been the target of harassment, arrests and assassination attempts for her advocacy for the country's Baloch minority. But she continues to advocate peacefully. In 2023, she led hundreds of women on a 1,000-mile march to demand justice for their family members.

4. Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera. Sometimes called the most inspiring queer woman in the world, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera is a Ugandan activist who has fought for the rights of LGBT people for more than two decades. She is one of the first openly gay people to speak out on Ugandan national television, has challenged widespread homophobia in the country, and founded her own media platform to spread information about LGBT+ issues.

5. Gisele PelicotA French woman whose husband has admitted to drugging her and inviting dozens of men to abuse her without her knowledge. She has waived her right to anonymity. . Outside the courthouse in Avignon, women travel day after day to bring flowers for Gisele Pelicot, the French woman at the centre of a mass rape trial that has shocked the world. Pelicot said she wanted to raise awareness of chemical submission, and to show that "shame must change sides" in cases of sexual violence.³ Her dignity, resilience and eloquenceFluent or persuasive speaking or writing. have elevated her to the status of a global feminist icon.

Do we all need role models?

Yes: Achieving great things or bettering the world is not limited to one single group. We should all look up to the impressive people who are trying to create a better society, regardless of gender, class, ethnicity or any other factor.

No: Some people need role models more than others. People who have been marginalisedTreating a person, group or idea as if they are unimportant. due to their identity need role models who look and sound like them because it helps to disprove what they have been told about how much they can achieve.

Or... We should not base our designs for our lives on other people's achievements. We do better when we forge our own paths without trying to define ourselves by what others have managed to do. We all have different strengths.

Timothy Leary - An American psychologist and author known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs.

Advocates - Someone who publicly supports or recommends a particular policy. The word originates from the Latin vocare, meaning to call.

Peabody Award - The Peabody Award was created to honour excellence in radio broadcasting as the radio industry's equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.

Emmy - The Emmy Awards are television industry awards.

Abducted - Taken by force, or kidnapped.

Gisele Pelicot - A French woman whose husband has admitted to drugging her and inviting dozens of men to abuse her without her knowledge. She has waived her right to anonymity.

Eloquence - Fluent or persuasive speaking or writing.

Marginalised - Treating a person, group or idea as if they are unimportant.