Today, women face many challenges in their lives and careers, from the wage gap and sexual harassment to harmful social stereotypes and beliefs. At the same time, this year has shown us all that we have the strength to keep moving forward – and that nothing can hold women back from achieving their dreams if they have the resources and drive to achieve them! Here are some of the most inspirational women of 2020.
#1 – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This acclaimed Nigerian author has written some of the most inspiring and insightful novels and short stories of our generation, including Half of a Yellow Sun, We Should All Be Feminists and Purple Hibiscus. She was awarded the international MacArthur Genius Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the world, for her novels and stories inspired by her life in Nigeria. You can get your daily fix of inspiration from passionate African feminist and social activist through social media and her famous TED talk.
#2 – Jameela Jamil
An actress, radio presenter and social activist, Jameela Jamil works to take the spotlight off what women and people look like and put it onto their true value. In 2015, she launched Why Not People?, a company focussed on making entertainment accessible to people with disabilities, and in 2018, she launched the I Weigh community to help people look past the numbers on the scale and see their true value in the world. She’s open about her own life and struggles with self-image and the entertainment industry, inspiring others to become more self-accepting, more self-aware, and kinder!
#3 – Greta Thunberg
This 17-year-old shows us all that age isn’t a barrier to getting things done! Passionate about fighting climate change, this Swedish activist has taken the world by storm, and was named Time’s Person of the Year for 2019. After traveling from Sweden to New York in an epic journey on a zero-emissions yacht with her father, she challenged world leaders at the UN Climate Action Summit with a passionate speech about how everyone needs to do more to preserve natural resources and prevent the devastating effects of climate change. She is a true force to be reckoned with, showing the world that being a woman and being young doesn’t mean you can’t stand up for yourself and others.
#4 – Ruth Bader Ginsberg
This iconic USA Supreme Court Justice tragically passed away in 2020, ending a career that changed history and the future of young women all over the world. Fighting tirelessly for gender rights, she understood the challenges women faced because she experienced them herself. She defied what society thought she would be, graduated at the top of her class from the most prestigious law schools in the USA and became one of only 4 female justices in history. Ruth Bader Ginsberg showed women and girls all over the world that they could succeed even in the most powerful, most intimidating fields, using a sense of humour and a dedication to equality to impact the lives of millions of people.
And Now it is Your Turn to Shine
Many of the world’s most inspirational and powerful women come from humble backgrounds where opportunities for success were few. At Dare to Dream, we’re dedicated to showing young women around the world, especially in less privileged communities, that their dreams truly matter – and can shape the world. Let’s inspire young women to dream big.
