International Women's Day 2021: 11 Women who were the 'firsts' in their field in 2020
International Women's Day: 2020 year is considered by many as one of the worst years in recent memory. As it is marked by a deadly pandemic but this also didn't stop women and they showed progress in various fields. On International Women's Day, we are providing the list of the women who were the 'firsts' in their field in 2020.
We can't ignore the fact that governments across the world worked to respond to COVID-19 and some research suggests that in countries where women lead, the responses were quicker, more effective, and stronger.
11 women who were the 'firsts' in their field in 2020
1. Shivangi Singh: India’s first woman fighter pilot to fly the Rafale aircraft
Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh become India's first woman fighter to fly the Rafale aircraft. It was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force on 10 September.
2. Kamala Harris: First women Vice-President of US
Kamala Harris became the 1st woman Vice-President of the United States in November, 2020. In January 2021, she took the oath and joined the ranks of other female vice-presidents around the world. Joe Biden, US President-elect also announced an all-women senior communications team, a first for the White House.
International Women's Day 2021: Current Theme, History, and Significance
3. Stacy Garrity: First Republican woman to serve as Pennsylvania State Treasurer.
Stacy Garrity is from Republican Party and ran for election for Pennsylvania Treasurer. On 3rd November, 2020, she won the general election. She assumed office on 19 January, 2021.
She served a remarkable three deployments in defence of America: in 1991 in Operation Desert Storm, in 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and in 2008 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
4. Katerina Sakellaropoulou: First-elect female President of Greece
Katerina Sakellaropoulou, a high court judge, a human rights advocate, and an expert in environmental and constitutional law, the first-elect female President of Greece.
Greece is one among the EU countries having the least women in senior positions in politics. She will be a role model to the younger generations, and in Greece, her election will bring a positive change on gender equality matters.
5. Nanaia Mahuta: appoints first indigenous woman Foreign Minister
In November 2020, Nanaia Mahuta became the first indigenous woman appointed as Foreign Minister of New Zealand. Nanaia Mahuta is Maori and was first elected to parliament in 1996.
6. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna: Awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020. Do you know they are only the sixth and seventh women to win Nobel Prize in Chemistry? They were awarded the Nobel Prize for their work on a way of editing DNA, known as Crispr-Cas9.
7. Gitanjali Rao: TIME magazine’s first-ever Kid of the Year’.
Gitanjali Rao, a fifteen-year-old scientist and inventor was selected as TIME magazine's first ever 'Kid of the Year'. Gitanjali Rao (just 15 years old) used technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying.
8. Karina Brown: First Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Utah.
Karina Andelin Brown was born in Sacramento, California. Brown obtained a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University in 1997 and a master's degree from Eastern Michigan University in 2000.
9. Captain Tania Shergill: 1st woman Republic Day parade adjutant
Captain Tanya Shergill a fourth-generation Army officer, led an all-men marching contingent of the Corps of Signals at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi. She also became the first woman Parade Adjutant in the history of the Army Day function. A parade adjutant is responsible for the parade.
10. Kalli Purie: ‘Most Influential Woman’ (2020) award
She is the Vice-Chairperson of India Today Group. She was recently conferred with the Impact's Most Influential Woman’ (2020) award.
11. Mauree Turner: First Muslim legislator in Oklahoma.
She is the first Muslim in the Oklahoma Legislature and the first nonbinary legislator in America. Mauree Turner won the race in House District 88 and broke barriers in Oklahoma's statehouse.
Some interesting facts are:
- A total of 34 women personnel (first batch) from all six of CRPF’s ‘Mahila Battalions’ have been selected by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
- Kiran Deoli Uniyal is the first Indian woman to have achieved 12 World Records in Martial Arts in speed elbow strikes and kicks.
- Scotland becomes the first country to allow free and universal access to menstrual products including tampons and pads in public buildings in schools and universities also.
- In Afghanistan, the mother's name will be included on the children's IDs. President signed a new law in Afghanistan stating that for the first time mothers will be named on their children's birth certificates and identification cards which makes it easier for the women to get an education, healthcare, and other documents for their children.
- Equal pay for women footballers in Brazil and Sierra Leone.
