Multiple protests rocked India and others in the year 2019, with the most remarkable feature of all being the unforeseen number of women in the frontline. It took years for women to achieve this social breakthrough, flouting taboos and social norms, to often lead such marches and not just take part in them. While many of these uprisings failed to achieve their political goal, they brought women to the forefront of rights marches even in some of the most orthodox countries where they’re still treated as voiceless, second-class citizens. The following are some such women who have become beacons of hope and will be remembered for shattering the glass ceilings and changing the face and nature of protests across the world.
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Olga Misik, a 17-year-old Russian girl, reached protest grounds with just a pen and the country's constitution in her hands. She read out excerpts to the armoured policemen surrounding her to fight for her right to assemble peacefully. (Image: Twitter)
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Clad in white robes and a headscarf, 22-year-old architecture student Alaa Salah became the face of protest in Sudan, clamouring for the ouster of their longtime President Omar al-Bashir.
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16-year-old autistic green activist Greta Thunberg, who hails from Sweden, shook the world with her hard-hitting speech on the need for all governments to envision a clean environment.
Police fired rounds at Hong Kong's anti-government protesters. This young woman, believed to be a medic, lost her sight after taking a hit. She became the face of the "eye for an eye" protest as people started taking to the streets wearing an eye patch.
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Ayesha Renna, a 22-year-old student of Jamia Milia University, became the face of the nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 for standing up to armed policemen to save her friend.
