npr:

A collection of incredible stories for #InternationalWomensDay

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Alika Kinan

When she was a teen, Kinan was trafficked to work at a brothel. For 20 years she worked, expected to have sex w 15 to 20 men a day.

She went on to become the first Argentine woman to sue her traffickers and the state.

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Malebogo Malefhe

This is Malebogo Malefhe from Botswana. Her boyfriend shot her in 2009. The incident nearly cost Malefhe her life. Since then, she has devoted herself to fighting gender-based violence and teaching women that when men hurt them, it’s not their fault.

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Man Kaur

Man Kaur is 101 years old and a world record holder in her age group. She is now training for the Asia Pacific Masters Games in Malaysia next September. She only started running at age 93!

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Edna Kiplagat

This mom of 5, who lives on a farm with her family in Kenya, won the Boston Marathon. “It’s not hard,” she says of balancing being a mom and an athlete. “It’s about organizing yourself.”

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Zainabu Hamayaji

How far would you go to save your children? Zainabu Hamayaji in Nigeria pretended she was crazy to protect her 10 children from being taken away or harmed by Boko Haram. She messed up her hair and rolled around in trash. And the ruse worked.

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Eqbal Dauqan

Meet Eqbal Dauqan, a Yemeni refugee who didn’t let war deter her from being a scientist. After the bombings began in her town, she had to stop her research. Then one day, after months in hiding, she had an idea: Maybe science could get her out of the war.

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Chenai Mathabire

“Nursing is often looked down upon, and people just think you are there to be the maid of the doctor or do the dirty work. But teachers made me realize that nurses have a big role to play,” says Chenai Mathabire. Her work is helping to save the lives of HIV-positive patients who contract TB.

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Manal al-Sharif

Manal al-Sharif’s path to activism began in 2011, when she defied Saudi authorities by filming herself driving a car. “For me the right to drive is not only about moving from A to B; it’s a way to emancipate women,” she says.

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We’re not done recognizing incredible women. 

We are listening for YOUR nominations of awesome women who we should profile.

We’re looking for activists, scientists, researchers, or anyone else who has overcome incredible obstacles.

Submit your nominee here.