Ever have any doubtabout your abilities? overcome self-doubt to give free rein to your dreams, talentsandambitions. Just take alookatthesefive women, who showwhat canhappen ifyou Female Touch Text Bregje Hofstede Bregje 66

Gograph (left page), Getty Images (right page) Power Women

Human Rights Malala was born in 1997 in Swat, event on her 16th birthday. “They Pakistan. When she was a child, are afraid of women. The power of the region became a stronghold the voice of a woman frightens them.” Malala for the Taliban, Islamic extremists who banned girls’ education Just a child and demolished schools. When Malala currently studies at Oxford Yousafzai Malala was 12, she began blogging University in the UK, but is still a for the BBC, speaking out about tireless advocate for the power of her right to go to school. education, especially for the 130 To win a Nobel Peace Prize million girls who are out of school at 17, you have to be An activist’s daughter (according to a 2016 UNESCO extraordinary. And Malala When her father, Ziauddin report). Her Malala Fund extends Yousafzai (21) is extraordinary. Yousafzai, was 12, he had quite grants for secondary education to The Pakistani girl who was different ambitions: to become shot in the head by the Taliban a Jihadi himself. But he came to “The power of the survived to become a recognise he had been brainwashed. world-famous activist for As a boy, a stammer had made him voice of a woman children’s educational rights, conscious of what it is like to be frightens them” unfazed by either great shut out, and this drew his attention statesmen or death threats. to discrimination against women. more than 100,000 girls, and in “There is a moment when you He became a teacher, campaigning 2014, she became the youngest have to choose whether to be for girls’ education and setting up ever laureate of the Nobel Peace silent or stand up.” a school where they could study Prize. In interviews, she seems so as well. When his daughter was young and just a child, giggling born, he named her after a local behind her hand or enthusing about activist who had died standing cricket. But she shows the world just up for her rights. what ‘girl power’ can entail, hopefully inspiring millions of Forgiveness girls who could, if given half a On 9 October 2012 – Malala was chance, be extraordinary too. just 15, but already an outspoken campaigner – a Taliban fighter Malala’s life lesson boarded the bus she was on while If you have ever been treated on her way home from school and aggressively, this might be because shot her in the head and neck. When you are powerful. What power she regained consciousness seven does your voice have, and what days later, she was in Birmingham, can you use it for? UK, where doctors would spend months rebuilding her skull. She survived, deaf in one ear and half Another power woman of her face paralysed. She later said Who: Iraqi-Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad (25). that the man who had shot her was Why: Murad was kidnapped and young, ‘just a boy’, and that his sexually enslaved by ISIS in 2014, hand had been shaking. To her, but managed to escape. She’s now Islam means forgiveness, and so living in Germany and – through her own organisation, Nadia’s Initiative – she could never hurt him, ‘not even is dedicated to helping women and with a needle’. The whole experience children escape from, and rebuild has, amazingly, convinced her not of their lives after, mass atrocities and her vulnerability, but of her power. human trafficking with. In 2018, she “The extremists are afraid of books was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize together with Congolese gynaecologist and pens. The power of education Denis Mukwege, for their efforts to end frightens them,” she said, while at the use of sexual violence as a weapon

Gograph (left page), Getty Images (right page) Gograph (left page), the United Nations’ Youth Takeover of war and armed conflict.

67 When she was just one year old, empathy, by naming and not Jane Goodall’s father gave her a numbering the chimps, for stuffed chimpanzee named Jubilee. example. Yet, she didn’t doubt But she had a long way to go before herself. She soon rose to fame and she would be the world-famous was admitted to the University of primatologist she is now. For one Cambridge for a PhD. Her career thing, she was a girl. “I wanted to not only blazed a trail for women do things that women didn’t do back then, such as travelling to “I didn't have any Africa, living with wild animals and writing books. I didn’t have female scientists any female explorers or scientists to look up to” to look up to,” she would later write in TIME magazine. So, after scientists around the world; it also secondary school, she became a showed that the ‘feminine’ quality waitress and secretary. of empathy is not an obstacle for rigorous science. Many women feel Barefoot in the jungle they must stress their masculine In Kenya, she became secretary qualities to succeed, but sensitivity to anthropologist Louis Leakey, and empathy are pros, not cons, who asked her to study chimpanzees according to Goodall. in Gombe, Tanzania in 1960. And so, at 26, Goodall set up camp in The activist the jungle and would spend years Goodall’s empathy grew to alone there. Footage shows her encompass the whole world. In barefoot in a tree, binoculars at 1986, she attended a conference hand. What she lacked in knowl- at which every single researcher edge, she made up for in determi- reported the destruction of Science nation and courage, resulting in chimpanzee habitats. And so, groundbreaking discoveries. For after 25 years of research, she left instance, she soon noticed that her beloved troop to devote her Jane chimpanzees are not just the patience and purpose to lectures friendly fruit eaters people thought and committees. Her NGO, the Jane they were but can indeed fight each Goodall Institute, is a global leader Goodall other fiercefully and hunt for and in the effort to protect chimpanzees. eat other (small) mammals as well. Animals do have emotions. Plus, being admitted into their Goodall’s life lesson If that sounds like common troop, she saw that chimpanzees Never doubt yourself. You can knowledge to you, this means have complex emotional lives, just indeed bridge the gap between British primatologist Jane like humans. And that they use dream and action. Goodall (84) has left her mark. branches to extract termites from When the world still thought mounds, proving that using tools differently, her work with isn’t something that sets humans chimpanzees proved that apart. Goodall’s work drastically animals are intelligent, changed humanity’s understand- Another power woman French biochemist Emmanuelle complex beings, and should be ing of itself. Who: Charpentier (50) and American treated accordingly. In the biochemist Jennifer Doudna (55). process, she became a Too much empathy Why: They revealed in 2012 that the trailblazer for female scientists But scientists sneered at this young CRISPR-Cas9 enzyme can be used to around the world. woman without a degree, saying reprogramme genes. This is one of the most important discoveries in biology her success was due to her looks. and medicine ever. It will help to cure She was doing it all wrong, they many diseases but is also useful in lots

said. She showed too much of other territories, such as agriculture. Getty Images (right page) ANP (left page),

68 Power Women

Entertainment In 2013, Beyoncé caused a stir by performing in front of a giant putting feminist phrases in her backdrop reading ‘FEMINIST’. hit song ‘Flawless’: “We teach girls Her sixth album, Lemonade (2016), Beyoncé to shrink themselves, to make saw her masterfully dissing her themselves smaller. We say to girls: cheating husband, rapper Jay-Z, you can be ambitious, but not too making the ‘scorned woman’ into Knowles much.” Instead of shrinking herself, a hugely powerful figure. But she has become such a phenomenon besides personal wrath, the album She is one of the world’s that words have been invented to is filled with social anger and black best-selling musicians, has describe her: ‘Bootylicious’ for her empowerment. At the 2016 Super won 22 Grammy Awards, is curves, and ‘Beygemony’ for an accomplished actress Queen Bey’s untouchable status. “We teach girls to and runs a clothing line.But that’s not all. Increasingly, Hard work shrink themselves, the 37-year-old American At six, little Beyoncé would sing to make themselves known worldwide as for the clients in the hair salon run Beyoncé is using her by her mother Tina, who “taught smaller” limitless success as a me the principles of hard work”. means to an end, After a succession of dance classes, Bowl (the highly popular annual bringing politics and talent shows and choirs, Beyoncé American football championship female empowerment to became part of an R&B girls’ group game), Beyoncé put her political mainstream pop. in 1990, which would later change beliefs on a world stage. She | its name to Destiny’s Child and and her dancers wore costumes become one of the best-selling referencing the Black Panthers female groups of all time. But their (a political party in the US fighting 60 million-sold records pale in for Afro-American rights from 1966 comparison to the sales Beyoncé to 1982). And the song they were would reach when she went solo. performing, ‘Formation’, came with a video clearly referring to Madonna the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, In 2011, she dropped her father as including an Afro-American boy her manager and took matters into facing police officers and the words her own hands. “I wanted to follow “Stop Shooting Us”. The fact that in Madonna’s footsteps and be a she can somehow risk bringing powerhouse.” Beyoncé is known radical politics to mainstream pop for her total control over her own music is proof of her power. brand and her relentless work ethic. Even during holidays, work Beyoncé’s life lesson is never far away. When a gap year Recognise your talents and dare took her across the world, her best to seize control of your own life. memory was of singing ‘Ave Maria’ in an Egyptian pyramid. “The depth of the tomb was incredible. Another power woman I’ve never heard acoustics so clear.” Who: Indian actress, singer and film producer Priyanka Chopra (36). Making feminism great Why: Multiple racial issues during her teenage years gave her a low self- Besides her own voice, Beyoncé’s esteem, but Chopra persevered. After political opinions have grown having become Miss World in 2000, clearer as she increasingly takes she didn’t only take Bollywood but also on political issues. After songs like Hollywood by storm. She’s now also a fierce women’s rights’ advocate and ‘Pretty Hurts’ and ‘Single Ladies’ actively tries to improve the health and made her a feminist favourite, education of underprivileged children

ANP (left page), Getty Images (right page) ANP (left page), she made the ‘F’ word cool by with her own foundation.

69 Born in 1954 to a dirt-poor teenage for the LGBT community. Her book housemaid in Mississippi, US, club got millions to read. By and Oprah had the odds stacked against by, she has become a spiritual her. Raised by her grandmother, leader to her overwhelmingly she had two nicknames: ‘Sack Girl’ female audience. Her message is for her sack-fabric clothing, and one of personal empowerment and ‘The Preacher’ because she was a responsibility: “The ability to precocious child, reciting at church from an early age. She had to face a “The ability to youth of poverty and sexual abuse, a detention home and a still-born triumph begins son at 14. But then she was sent to with you” live with her father, who insisted she would study hard, after which triumph begins with you. Always, she turned into an honours always.” Her magazine, O, ‘the student. At 17, a job on the local women’s personal growth guide’, radio launched her rapid ascent in is meant to give women the tools media. The iconic Oprah Winfrey they need to reach for their dreams. Show (1986-2011) spawned a media empire that now includes magazines, For president movies and TV production. But personal success is not what it’s all about. Serving is central to ‘Open yourself up’ Oprah’s world view. Her Angel Tears and sensitivity may have Network raises money for charity, a bad reputation as ‘feminine’ has funded schooling for poor girls weaknesses, but they have been and rebuilt houses after Hurricane the secret to Oprah’s success. Katrina in New Orleans. People are Others’ struggles resonate with curious what the Oprahfication Media her; instead of just questioning of leadership would look like, her guests, she shares her own and have been clamouring for hurt. “When you open yourself her to run for US president. Oprah up, you can relate to others’ truths more readily,” she believes. Oprah’s life lesson Her ‘confessional’ interview Never bow to hardship, try to Winfrey style got celebs like Michael take and stay in control. In Jackson, Whitney Houston and Oprah’s words: “What do you Oprah Winfrey (65), the Ellen DeGeneres to open up. need to get in the driver’s seat ‘Queen of All Media’, is famous of your own life?” for the personal warmth and The Oprah Effect empathy she brings to Whatever Oprah endorses soars Runner-up media everything she does. She is in popularity. The ‘Oprah Effect’ Who: Egyptian presenter and TV such a cultural force that terms catapults obscure books into producer Nashwa Al-Ruwaini (46). like ‘Oprahfication’ have been fame and politicians into office. Why: Dubbed ‘the Oprah Winfrey coined to describe her It’s called ‘Oprahfication’: if you of the Arab World’, she started her influence. Her message? see a celebrity or a politician career at 15 as a radio presenter, and went on to work for television, hosting With warmth and personal getting emotional and baring on her own talk show Nashwa at MBC, responsibility, anyone can air, there’s Oprah’s pioneering work amongst other things. In 1998, she triumph over adversity. to thank for it. She is in a position started her own media production to change people’s lives, and she company, Pyramedia, and is now one knows it. From the mid-1990s, she of the major media tycoons in the Middle East. Her Nashwa Foundation increasingly foregrounded social actively secures bright futures for issues like AIDS and sexual abuse, underprivileged women and children

and has provided positive visibility in the Middle East. Getty Images

70 Power Women

Business Sheryl Sandberg wasn’t interested change those rules. Yet Sandberg’s in female empowerment, until she focus on what individual women needed the toilet. She had been can do for their own immediate Sheryl pitching a deal in a boardroom empowerment has found praise when she wanted a break. But by a massive audience. nobody knew where the ladies’ Sandberg room was, as women in boardrooms Single ladies are rare. They head just 3% of the ‘Leaning in’ is lots easier if you When Sheryl Sandberg world’s 500 biggest companies. have help at home, which many (49) won a prestigious Sandberg started to wonder why. single mothers don’t. Tragically, scholarship at business Sandberg became a single mum school, she didn’t want to tell Self-doubt herself when her husband, anyone for fear of appearing The American businesswoman SurveyMonkey CEO David too successful. She went on found out that the more success Goldberg, died in an accident. to become COO of Facebook a woman has, the more she is “I did not really get how hard and is now one of the most disliked. For men, it’s just the it is to succeed at work when powerful women in the world. opposite. Gender stereotypes make you are overwhelmed at home,” Her message to women: us wary of ambitious women, and she wrote in a Facebook post. “Moving past your own fear is make women wary of showing the first step to success.” ambition. And so women hold Not bossy but the boss back. They often underestimate Yet, she keeps leaning in. themselves and keep silent in Her foundation LeanIn.Org meetings. Sandberg realised: If organises support groups for women listen to that voice of self- women and designs campaigns, doubt, that leads to a serious waste such as #BanBossy, to change of talent. And so she wrote the 2013 our perception of ambitious girls. bestseller Lean In (Alfred A. Knopf). Superstar Beyoncé appeared While the book acknowledges in the campaign, confidently external barriers to women’s saying what Sandberg hopes careers – such as lack of affordable many girls will repeat after her: childcare – it focuses on the ways “I’m not bossy. I’m the boss.” in which women hold themselves back. Her message: “Don’t listen to Sandberg’s life lesson that voice saying: ‘You can’t do this.’” Sit back, relax and think what the answer would be to Sandberg’s “Don’t listen to that question: “What would you do if you weren’t afraid of being seen voice saying: as too ambitious?” You can’t do this’”

Keep smiling Another power woman So, what does ‘leaning in’ look Who: Ugandan aeronautical like? Aim high, Sandberg advises engineer, politician and activist women. Sit at the table in meetings. Winnie Byanyima (60). Raise your hand. Get your partner Why: After a short stint as a flight engineer, she turned to politics – first to do their equal share at home. in her native country Uganda, then Play it tough, but keep smiling, or internationally – focusing on women’s you will be disliked. The advice rights, famine and sustainable causes. she gives is entirely practical, not Since 2013, she has been the executive ideological, and critics have said director of Oxfam International, the confederation of charitable organisations that encouraging women to play dedicated to ending poverty, famine, along with the corporate world’s gender and economic injustice, and

Getty Images biased rules does nothing to climate change.

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