For International Women's Day 2025, we celebrate women from different generations and continents, whose roles span conducting emergency rescues, creating jobs, training surgeons and showcasing national culture. Each of these women exemplifies resilience in overcoming systemic gender barriers and advancing the path towards equality.

Gaining – and using – an education

Even when girls and boys learn at an early age that gender need not determine their profession, girls in lower-income countries often face extra hurdles, whether a lack of school toilets, cultural expectations that they should live at home to study, restricting their options if there are no nearby schools, or an expectation that they should marry rather than train for a career. Extra determination is needed.

“Schools are overcrowded in Bishkek. Usually, girls are the ones who are forced or expected to drop out, and the results are visible with the lower number of women in the formal labour market in comparison to men,” says Dr Asel Murzakulova, a leading scientist in the fields of conflicts, migration, natural resource management, religion and nationalism in Central Asia.

A Senior Fellow at the University of Central Asia’s Mountain Societies Research Institute, she has been awarded the International Medal of the Commission of National Education of Poland for her contribution to the development of civic education in the Kyrgyz Republic.

She views research as a means of improving quality of life. “We conduct scientific research to share findings with partner institutions, such as the Aga Khan Foundation and Mountain Societies Development Support Programme, so that outcomes can reach the people as soon as possible.”

Education doesn’t have to end with motherhood. Married at 13, Arti from Uttar Pradesh, India, took vocational training, entrepreneurship and life skills courses with Project Lehar. She was introduced to the government’s pink e-rickshaw scheme, which provides employment for vulnerable women and safe transport for female users. She now earns enough to support herself and her daughter – and in 2024 travelled to London to receive the Amal Clooney Women’s Empowerment Award.

“I have discovered a new sense of independence – a life where I can rely on myself,” says Arti. “I take pride in being able to inspire other girls who face similar challenges.”

In Kenya, it can be hard for women to start a business. Most don’t own land, and so lack collateral to get a business loan. Their household and caregiving responsibilities limit their time.

Elizabeth Mbogo, founder of nutrition company Botanic Treasures, had difficulty getting business support despite her success. She joined Accelerating Women Climate Entrepreneurs, which addresses businesswomen’s needs, for example by hiring childminders for participating mothers. After receiving business training, $5,000 in funding and six months of one-to-one advice, she was able to refurbish her shop and help her female employees to establish cooperatives and safely save their earnings for their children’s school fees and other needs.

Leading the way

Gul Noori was among the first generation of women in northern Pakistan to join a Search and Rescue Team, responding to life-threatening emergencies such as avalanches. Obstacles included having to lift 80kg tool boxes, rappel down mountains and deal with complaints to their families about them wearing shirts and trousers during training. “We have overcome our fears, and our courage has strengthened. We are not scared of anything anymore.” Gul Noori’s example has inspired others in the region.

One is Fauzia. A quarter of a century later, some still tell her that women cannot be rescuers. But after helping search for disaster victims, she can prove to her daughter: “You don’t have to be shy, you can be strong.” She says many women still worry about childcare and housework, but “if those are the only things women continue to strive for and think about, they will never accomplish anything. We have to keep taking steps to always move forward – and never stop.”

Leading breast cancer surgeon Dr Miriam Mutebi co-founded the Pan African Women's Association of Surgeons, which she describes as “a continental network of sisterhood, from Cape Town to Cairo”, which helps female surgeons interact and address different concerns. “Women have a unique role to play in health care here, including reducing some of the socio-cultural barriers in our communities that women face when accessing care.

“Being the first female breast surgeon in Kenya carries increased responsibility but I am grateful for that privilege. With being the first, in any position, there is additional pressure on yourself to ensure that you are not the last. It is important to mentor and support more women in surgery to ensure a diverse health workforce with improved outcomes for patients.”

Writing women back into history

For centuries, women in nomadic societies played a crucial role, undertaking a wide range of tasks, including horseback riding, household management, pitching and taking down tents, raising children, and crafting. Yet, their contributions have often been overlooked in historical records and cultural institutions.

Altyn Kapalova, a Research Fellow at the University of Central Asia’s Cultural Heritage and Humanities Unit, is working to ensure women’s histories and contributions are acknowledged and represented. She leads the Central Asian Museum Development Programme, which fosters gender inclusivity in museums, and the Kurak exhibition, which highlights women’s textile art. One museum, for example, revived the history of female cotton workers, recognising their role in shaping the country’s economic and social landscape.

“When you walk into a museum today, the dominant narrative is male. But whether a woman is an activist, an artist, or a homemaker, she needs to see herself reflected in history. These stories are not just about the past; they provide a foundation for women today,” Altyn explains. “We are returning history to the women to whom it rightfully belongs.”