It’s easy in these unsettled, dark times to think that the world is all doom and gloom. But, while we still have a long way to go, there are women everywhere showing us that there is hope on the horizon; women who are challenging racism, conflict, sexism and stereotypes in their own glorious ways. Come 2018, this is the time to reminisce what we have lost, gained, anticipated, toiled for and ended up with in 2017. Nationwide and internationally, women have scaled new heights and have been honoured in their respective line-of-work. This week, You! highlights some of the women in power. Let’s take a look...
On the international front
In July, Indian woman Anny Divya became the youngest female commander of a Boeing 777 aircraft in the world.
In August, first Sikh woman Jasleen Kaur Josan was selected by NASA, for the year 2030 mission to the planet of Mars.
In September, Halimah Yacob was named as Singapore’s first female president.
In October, Lady Hale of Richmond was sworn in as the first female president of the UK’s highest court i.e. the Supreme Court.
In October, a California-based Afghan refugee Shaesta Waiz completed a historic flight around the world.
In November, history was made as Democrat Vi Lyles of Charlotte, North Carolina, became the first black female mayor. She became the first African American woman to lead the Queen City.
Nirmala Sitharaman was appointed as India’s first female Defense Minister.
On the national front
In Feb, seasoned diplomat and Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Tehmina Janjua, was named Pakistan’s first ever woman Foreign Secretary.
In May, Pakistani British Sophia Chaudhry became first female Muslim Mayor in UK when took charge as Rushmoor Borough Council.
In July, the Peshawar city police appointed Rizwana Hameed as the Station House Officer (SHO) for the first time in history.
In December, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader, Maryam Nawaz has been named among the ‘Top 11 Powerful Women of the World’ in the New York Times.
A British Pakistani woman Shabnam Chaudhri became the first ever Muslim and Asian woman to be appointed as detective superintendent of the Scotland Yard.
General Nigar Johar became the third women in the history of Pakistan Army to attain the rank of a Major General. Johar was among the 37 brigadiers, who were elevated to the rank of major general.
The showbiz Arena
In January, a 24-year-old woman from France, Iris Mittenaere, won the Miss Universe crown.
India’s Manushi Chhillar won the Miss World beauty pageant for the year 2017. The win comes 17 years after Priyanka Chopra brought home the coveted title in the year 2000.
In February, Emma Stone won her first Academy Award for Damien Chazelle’s modern musical ‘La La Land’.
In April, Julia Roberts was named World’s Most Beautiful Woman in People Magazine for the 5th time.
Priyanka Chopra was voted the most beautiful woman in the world. According to a poll conducted by social site BuzzNet, PC emerged victorious over her contemporaries such as Angelina Jolie, Emma Watson and Gigi Hadid.
Selena Gomez’ Instagram account became the first to hit the 100 million follower mark, which made her the most followed celebrity on the popular social media platform.
In September, Patty Jenkins became highest-paid female director in history with Wonder Woman 2’s deal.
The first public ‘female only’ music concert by the singer Hiba Tawaji, was organized in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The national showbiz divas
In October, two-time Academy Award winner, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s documentary, ‘A Girl in the River’ won the Best Documentary Award at its 38th edition.
Mahira Khan attended the 8th Beirut International Awards Festival to receive the International Recognition Award. Also, Khan was ranked 5th in the list of Asia’s Sexiest Women, and 3rd sexiest Pakistani woman for the third year in a row by a UK magazine.
International sporty ones
In July, 23-time Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams, won the Best Female Tennis Player at the ESPY Awards for the ninth time in her career.
In September, Ana Carrasco became the first woman to win a world championship motorcycle race in Portugal.
Winning the gold medal in 2017 World Wrestling Championship, Yasemin Adar, became the first woman to win a gold medal in wrestling in Turkey.
In September, Germany’s Bibiana Steinhaus made history to become the first woman to referee a top-tier match in the German, English, French, Italian or Spanish leagues.
In October, Elise Christie became the first British woman to win a World Short Track Speed Skating title. She was also named Times Sportswoman of the Year for 2017.
In September, Miriam Fardous became the first Arab woman to dive the North Pole.
Our own sportswomen
In July, Pakistan Women’s Cricket team former captain, Sana Mir, became the first woman player to represent the country in 100 One Day Internationals (ODIs).
In October, Sara Mansoor recorded her name in country’s tennis history by becoming the first female ITF Level-2 coach from Pakistan.
In August, Uzma Yousaf became first Pakistani woman to scale 7,027 metre high Spantik Peak in Nagar Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan.
In December, Pakistani power lifter, Saniha Ghafoor, secured four gold medals in the 57 kg category during the Oceania Pacific Powerlifting Championship. Saniha won medals for squat, bench press, dead lift, and total weight.
Mountaineers, Samana Rahim, Sultana Amiruddin and Dubai based Komal Uzair, from Pakistan, accomplished the first national women expedition by climbing 5,500 metre Kuksil Peak in Khunjrab region.
In December, Samar Khan from Pakistan’s northern province of KP became the first woman in the world to scale Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, on a bicycle.
And the award goes to....
In January, The Afghan Women’s Orchestra was announced as the winner of the 2017 ‘Freemuse Award’ becoming the first Afghan women group to learn music in over 30 years.
In December, Time magazine named ‘Me Too Movement’ its Person of the Year for 2017, referring to those women, and the global conversation they have started.
In March, Egyptian-Lebanese visual artist, Bahia Shehab, became the first Arab woman to ever receive the UNESCO Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture, for her innovative use of Arabic calligraphy in street art.
Our own winners
In October, Pakistani woman Gulalai Ismail along with late Indian journalist, Gauri Lankesh, won a joint award, ‘Reach All Women in WAR Anna Politkovskaya Award’.
In November, UN Goodwill Ambassador to Pakistan, Muniba Mazari, honored by the Karic Foundation in Serbia with an award for her humanitarian services.
In September, two Pakistani American girls, Gia Farooqi and Hanaa Lakhani, were among the four students from Rutgers University, New Jersey, who won the prestigious Hult Prize award.
In March, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz was conferred on Prof. Dr. Khalida Soomro for her services in Medicine.
In May, Saliha Mahmood Ahmed, was the winner of Master Chef UK 2017. The budding-chef has taken the culinary crown after beating off Giovanna Ryan and Steve Kielty to win the finale.