MOTHER TERESA

Mother Teresa (1910–1997) was a Roman Catholic nun who devoted her life to serving the poor and
destitute around the world. She spent many years in Calcutta, India where she founded the
Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation devoted to helping those in great need. In 1979,
Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and became a symbol of charitable, selfless work.
In 2016, Mother Teresa was canonised by the Roman Catholic Church as Saint Teresa.

NELSON MANDELA
Nelson Mandela (1918 – 2013) was a South African political activist who spent over 20 years in
prison for his opposition to the apartheid regime; he was released in 1990. In 1994, Mandela was
later elected the first leader of a democratic South Africa. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
(jointly with F.W. de Klerk) in 1993 for his work in helping to end racial segregation in South Africa.
He is considered the father of a democratic South Africa and widely admired for his ability to bring
together a nation, previously divided by apartheid. Nelson Mandela is one of the most admired
political leaders of the Twentieth and Twenty-First Century for his vision to forgive and forge a new
‘rainbow’ nation.
 OPRAH WINFREY
Oprah Winfrey (1954 – Present) Influential talk show host, author, philanthropist, actress and
media personality. Oprah Winfrey has played a key role in modern American life, shaping cultural
trends and promoting various liberal causes. Through her talk shows and books, she has focused on
many issues facing American women. She has been an important role model for black American
women, breaking down many invisible barriers.

MAHATMA GANDHI
Mahatma Gandhi was a prominent Indian political leader who campaigned for Indian
independence. He employed non-violent principles and peaceful disobedience. He was assassinated
in 1948, shortly after achieving his life goal of Indian independence. In India, he is known as ‘Father
of the Nation’.
 Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)

Mary Wollstonecraft wrote the most significant book in the early feminist movement. Her tract “A
Vindication of the Rights of Women” laid down a clear moral and practical basis for extending
human and political rights to women. Mary Wollstonecraft was a true pioneer in the struggle for
female suffrage.

Sojourner Truth (1797–1883)

African-American abolitionist and women’s rights campaigner. In 1851, she gave a famous
extemporaneous speech “Ain’t I a woman?” which supported equal rights for blacks and women.

Margaret Fuller (1810 – 1850)

Margaret Fuller was an American women’s rights advocate, associated with the Transcendentalist
movement. Her book Women in the Nineteenth Century was influential in changing perceptions
about men and women, and was one of the most important early Feminist works. She argued for
equality and women being more self-dependent and less dependent on men.
 Harriet Tubman (1822 – 1913)
A former slave who escaped and then returned to lead other slaves to freedom on the Underground
Railroad. After the Civil War, she supported the women’s suffrage movement, using her experiences
as justification for equality.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902)

Elizabeth Stanton was a social activist and leading figure in the early women’s rights movement. She
was a key figure in helping create the early women’s suffrage movements in the US. She was the
principal author of ‘Declaration of Sentiments’ which was distributed at the first women’s rights
convention in 1848.

Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906)

Susan Anthony campaigned against slavery and for the promotion of women’s and workers’ rights.
She began campaigning within the temperance movement and this convinced her of the necessity
for women to have the vote. She toured the US giving countless speeches on the subjects of human
rights.
 Millicent Fawcett (1846 – 1929)
Millicent Garrett Fawcett was a leading suffragist and campaigner for equal rights for women. She
led Britain’s biggest suffrage organisation, the non-violent (NUWSS) and played a key role in gaining
women the vote.

Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928)

A British suffragette, Emily Pankhurst was one of the most high profile campaigners for women’s
suffrage. In the 1900-1914 period she took part in violent protests and when arrested went on hunger
strikes to protest the state of prisons. She died in 1928, 3 weeks before a law giving all women over
21 the right to vote.

Emily Murphy (1868-1933)

Emily Murphy was the first women magistrate in the British Empire. In 1927 she joined forces with
four other Canadian women who sought to challenge an old Canadian law that said, “Women should
not be counted as persons” This paved the way for women to enter Parliament and gain greater
equality.
 Rosa Parks (1913–2005)
Civil Rights activist. She started the Montgomery bus boycott (1955) through her refusal to give up
her seat to a white person. She became a prominent spokesperson and figurehead for the American
civil rights movement.

Betty Friedan (1921-2006)

Leading feminist figure of the 1960s. Her book “The Feminine Mystique” became a best seller and
received both lavish praise and intense criticism. Betty Friedan campaigned for an extension of
female rights and an end to sexual discrimination.

Wangari Maathai (1940-2011)

Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan environmental and political activist. In the 1970s, she founded the
Green Belt Movement a non-governmental organisation promoting environmental conservation
and women’s rights. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her contribution to fighting
for democratic rights and especially for encouraging women to better their situation
 Billie Jean King (1943 – present)
One of the greatest female athletes Billie Jean King was one of the greatest female tennis
champions who battled for equal pay for women. She won 67 professional titles including 20 titles
at Wimbledon.

Shirin Ebadi (1947 – present)

Shirin Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in promoting human and women’s
rights in her native Iran. She trained as a lawyer, though was not allowed to practise as a judge.
Ebadi was one of the founders of the Nobel Women’s initiatives supporting women’s rights around
the world.

Malala Yousafzai – (1997 – present)

Pakistani schoolgirl who defied threats of the Taliban to campaign for the right to education. After
surviving an assassination attempt, she became a leading advocate for women’s rights, especially
the right to education. She has sought to emphasize the peaceful nature of Islam and the respect
Islam has for education.