5 Powerful Women Leaders Who Changed the World
‘Forget about the fast lane. If you really want to fly, just harness your power to your passion.’ ~ Oprah Winfrey
All women leaders have had to overcome challenges to reach their goals. Just like coal under pressure turns into a diamond, these challenges reshape and transform them into amazing role models. Let us learn more about some powerful women leaders, who shaped the world for what it is today.
1. Angela Merkel
Each year, Angela Merkel tops the list of most powerful women. And not many could compete with the 60-year old German leader when it comes to political experience.
A former research scientist with a doctorate in physical chemistry, Merkel has clinched her third four-year term as German Chancellor thanks to her proactive role in governing her country. This makes her the longest-serving elected EU head of state.
She has a fierce stance against Russia on Ukraine, this being only one of the demonstrations of her political will. She also provided military assistance to Kurds in order to counter ISIS. Merkel is not just influential; she is one of the people who shape the world’s political landscape.
2. Oprah Winfrey
A socially impactful media executive, philanthropist, motivational author, speaker, and talk show host, she is a household name for Americans, as well as the rest of the world. In fact, she was considered the richest African-American woman of the 20th century.
A multibillionaire philanthropist and one of the most powerful women in the world, she is a highly influential personality, who works for the people through different channels. Even Barrack Obama thought of her as ‘may be the most influential woman in the country’.
3. Rosa Parks
She was a civil rights activist, who became a popular name in Alabama after she refused to surrender her seat to a white person in a Montgomery bus. She encouraged the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott movement, which garnered a lot of attention in those days.
One of the most powerful women in the world, Parks moved on to further receive the prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. award, the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her outstanding contribution in the field of racial discrimination.
4. Greta Thunberg
She is only sixteen, and the first to initiate a youth-led climate strike on August 2018 outside the Parliament building in Sweden. That year, Europe broke all records of environmental crises with extreme heatwaves and forest fires breaking in Sweden.
Greta, who has Asperger’s Syndrome and depression, began the strike, and after a short while, other people joined her too. She also gave a speech at the People’s Climate March Rally in Sweden and said in an interview that she will not stop fighting for what she is passionate about.
Currently, she is leading a global climate strike in 150 countries, which is being covered in every TV channel and social media.
5. Michelle Obama
The wife of beloved American President, Barrack Obama, and the only African-American ‘First Lady’ of the United States, Michelle Obama happens to be one of the most powerful women leaders in the world.
She is currently dedicated to empowering America’s youth by improving the educational opportunities available to them. She also created quite a stir, when she refused to run for the Presidential election campaign, as many speculated.
When we think about powerful women leaders, the names of Janet Yellen, Mary Barra, Hillary Clinton and others also pop up in our minds, as we remember their outstanding contributions to society at large.
Some may have achieved their goals; some of them may have failed to reach their targets. But, one thing that is common in all of them is their invincible spirit, which is a true source of inspiration to many.
