Remarkable Women of the Decade
Nominated by Savvitas Members - Compiled for IWD March 8th 2021
Building on the Roll of Honour compiled for the IWD Centenary in 2011,
Savvitas called for nominations of inspiring women from the past decade to bring our
Roll of Honour up to the present day. This was an almost impossible task.
The panel focused on women who have made a global impact through their lives and work.
We can truly say these ten women have and are making a difference in the world.
Eni Lestari Andayani Adi
UN representative in the first Refugees & Migrants Summit. A domestic worker and victim of labour abuse; escaped and became an activist. Chair of International Migrants Alliance, helping thousands in 60 different countries.
Malala Yousafzai
The youngest Nobel Prize laureate. A Pakistani activist for female education following recovery from a Taliban assassination attempt. The Malala Fund has grown into an international movement.
Waris Dirie
Model, author, actor and human rights activist in the fight against FGM which she suffered aged 5. Founded the Desert Flower Foundation, saving many girls from FGM and building three schools and a Safe House where victims find refuge.
Amina J. Mohammed
Highest ranking female in the United Nations, serving as Deputy Secretary-General. A Nigerian diplomat and politician, previously Nigerian Minister of Environment and a key player in its Development Agenda.
Tsai Ing-wen 
President of Taiwan, its first female leader, elected in 2016. Successfully campaigned for LGBT rights, and is working to defend the nation's sovereignty. Tsai's leadership through Covid is seen as a global model for success.
Jacinda Ardern
New Zealand Prime Minister, widely praised for handling of Covid; and response to the Christchurch mosque shootings. Involved in NZ politics since the age of 17, on a working trip abroad she worked in Tony Blair’s office.
Sheryl Sandberg
As Facebook COO led the company from $56 million loss to $18.5 billion in profits. Created the LeanIn movement to boost equality and help women achieve their ambitions. “Done is better than perfect.".Greta Thunberg
Internationally known from age 15 for challenging world leaders to take immediate action on climate change. Addressed the 2018 UN Climate Change Conference. Her influence on the world stage described as the ‘Greta effect’.
Kamala Harris
First female United States vice president, the highest-ranking female official in US history, the first African American and first Asian American. In 2016 the second African American woman and first South Asian American to serve in US Senate
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Director-General of the World Trade Organization. The first woman and the first African to hold the office. The first woman to serve as Nigeria's finance minister, Euromoney named her global finance minister of the year.
Thank you to our panel and all who made nominations.Next IWD we'll publish a list to celebrate the many other inspiring women making such valuable contributions to society.