International Women's Day: Celebrating the Achievements of Women

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8th to commemorate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This year's theme is #EmbraceEquity, and it is a time to reflect on the progress that has been made for women's rights, and to continue the fight for gender parity.

There are countless trailblazing women who have made significant contributions to their respective fields. Here are just a few examples:

Science

Marie Curie

A physicist and chemist, Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and the only person to win the Nobel Prize in two different scientific fields. She conducted pioneering research on radioactivity, which has had a profound impact on the field of medicine.

Tu Youyou

A Chinese pharmaceutical chemist, Youyou won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her discovery of artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin, antimalarial drugs that have saved millions of lives.

Katherine Johnson

An African American mathematician who worked for NASA, Johnson played a key role in the early American space program. She calculated the trajectories for Alan Shepard's flight on Freedom 7 and helped with the navigation of Apollo 11 to the Moon.

Technology

Grace Hopper

A computer scientist and United States Navy rear admiral, Hopper was one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer. She developed the first compiler for a computer programming language, which has had a major impact on the development of modern computing.

Ada Lovelace

An English mathematician, Lovelace is considered to be the first computer programmer in the world. She collaborated with Charles Babbage on his mechanical computer and wrote the first algorithm intended for implementation on a machine.

Susan Wojcicki

The CEO of YouTube, Wojcicki has overseen the massive growth of the platform. Her vision and leadership have helped to make YouTube the largest video-sharing website in the world.

Business

Indra Nooyi

The former CEO of PepsiCo, Nooyi was the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 company. She is known for her innovative marketing strategies and commitment to sustainability.

Oprah Winfrey

A talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, Winfrey is one of the wealthiest and most influential women in the world. Her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, was one of the highest-rated television shows in history.

Mary Barra

The CEO of General Motors, Barra is the first woman to lead a major automaker. She is known for her transformative leadership and focus on innovation.

Politics

Jacinda Ardern

The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Ardern is the youngest female head of government in the world. She is known for her compassionate leadership and commitment to social justice.

Angela Merkel

The former Chancellor of Germany, Merkel was one of the most powerful women in the world. She led Germany for 16 years and played a key role in many global issues.

Michelle Bachelet

The former President of Chile, Bachelet was the first woman to be elected president for two terms. She is known for her advocacy for human rights and social justice.

Useful vocabulary and phrases

Science