As we savour the final hours of 2014, we look back at the year empowered by the joys of feminist achievements . 2014 was a year in which the awareness of gender equality was aired aggressively and widely accepted as not just a phenomenon but a practicable way of life. Many thanks go out to every person who was involved; International Agencies, Celebrities, people on social media, the press, you and I. 2015 is a blank page for us to write a progressive history and we MUST!
We at I am Woman are using this medium to recognise a few of our heroines in 2014 with our ” WOMAN OF VALOUR” awards. This is for every woman who stuck up for the woman race courageously this year. THANK YOU! With a rousing ovation, we present the virtual trophies:
WOMAN OF VALOUR AWARDS 2014
Category: Woman breaking barriers (group)
Winner: The Borno women vigilante group in North East, Nigeria who took up arms bravely in collaboration with the men to protect their violence affected communities. We are deeply inspired by their audacity.
Category: Woman breaking barriers (Individual)
Winner: Malala Yousafzai
Need we say how inspired the world is by this brave Pakistani teenager who is a passionate advocate of the girl-child education and who became the youngest person ever to accept the Nobel peace prize? Way to go Malala!
Category: Defender of the ordinary Woman
Winner: Michelle Obama
2014 was no doubt a busy year for first Lady Michelle Obama . If she wasn’t addressing young teenage girls on the importance of having an education, she was advocating the release of the Chibok girls or fighting ebola. Well done first lady!
Category: Best women group of the year
Winner: The Bring back our girls group in Nigeria
This group is convened by Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili of Nigeria and is a group advocating the release of the abducted Chibok girls by the dreaded Bokoharam sect in North East, Nigeria. Their consistency is commendable.
Category: Top feminist moment of 2014
Winner: Emma Watson giving her speech at the #heforshe conference in London. Her speech which preached that gender equality isn’t a women’s issue but also a men’s issue was widely accepted. We also loved her outfit!
Category: Most inspiring Tv Character of the year
Winner: Olivia Pope
Olivia Pope as played by Kerry Washington in the award winning Tv series “Scandal” has by far inspired women around the world this year. Her intellectual prowess, resolve, confidence and power dressing has deeply touched women around the world. Many thanks to Shond Rhimes the Creator and producer of the series for inspiring us with such a character.
Category: Cutest Feminist gesture of the year
Winner: President Obama and his brownies troop
The cutest gesture of the year was seen in the picture released by the white house in which President Obama poses with a troop of brownies while wearing a tiara. The controversial image is for us, a self esteem building gesture from President Obama; a shout out to girls all over the world telling them they are limitless. Very inspiring.
Category: Heroine of the year
Winner: Chibok girls of Nigeria
While we had a tough time choosing between the Keyan woman who was mobbed for wearing a mini skirt and the Chibok girls, we couldn’t get past the horrific abduction of over 100 girls by the Bokoharam sect from their school in North East Nigeria. We present this award to them as a ray of hope in this dark hour and pray they come back to their families safely very soon.
Thank you all for your opinions and support. If you didnt see your name here, 2015 is your set time! Be that agent of change!
And it’s a wrap! See you in 2015!!!
I am Woman 