March 8 was International Women’s Day, so in the spirit of celebrating, we’re dedicating this week’s blog post to five young women who are advocates for social causes including gender equality and education for all, to name two. Empowering women is at the heart of what we do - from the ladies that lead our company to our efforts with the UN to support educational projects for women across Lebanon to foster income generation, marketing of products, entrepreneurship, and starting up businesses, and vocational trainings. Here, are five inspirational women that are making a difference:
Emma Watson
The actress’ humanitarian efforts have nearly eclipsed her work in film, after her speech on gender equality at the United Nations in 2014 went viral online. Since then, she’s been a champion for gender equality with her HeForShe campaign, her feminist book club, and her thoughtful interviews, all which prove that young people can be passionate for a cause and make their voices heard globally.
Malala Yousafzai
The youngest woman on our list at 18, Malala’s story is known across the world. After surviving a near-fatal attack, the Pakistani woman has gone on the write a best-selling book and establish The Malala Fund, which works towards enabling girls in the Middle East and Africa to complete twelve years of “safe, quality education” and put them on track to making a difference in their local communities.
Beyoncé
There’s no denying Beyoncé’s influence in the realm of music and culture, but she’s also another major face of the modern feminist movement. Girl power songs like “Who Run the World”, “Single Ladies”, and “Flawless” prove that being proud of be a woman. (oh, and let’s not forget “Survivor” from her Destiny’s Child days.)
Michelle Obama
Our current First Lady has championed initiatives to encourage healthier lifestyle choices for children, pursuing higher education, and most recently, calling on countries everywhere to encourage governments to help girls attend - and stay - in school.
Amal Clooney
She may be married to Hollywood actor George Clooney, but let’s not forget that before getting a famous last name, Amal Alamuddin Clooney was one of the top human rights attorneys in the world. Born in Beirut and educated at Oxford, Clooney champions for citizens globally, which makes her beautiful inside and out. Her latest efforts? Creating the Amal Clooney Scholarship with 100 Lives, providing Lebanese women the opportunity for higher education at the United World College in Armenia.