Your age shouldn’t hold you back from taking on a leadership role. Don’t believe us? Here are 5 inspirational female leaders who are proof.

Zulaikha Patel

At just 13, Zulaikha Patel led her fellow students to protest discriminatory hair policies in her school. She became the face of a movement which spread across South Africa, and even inspired other students globally. Her story’s an amazing example that you’re never too young to take a stand against injustices you see or experience, and that you can make a difference.

Greta Thunberg

Swedish-born Greta Thunberg began organising protests and educating others about the threat of climate change at age 15. Her speech at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit became viral, garnering support from millions of people around the world who agreed with her strong message. Putting yourself out there as a young person’s never easy, but having the courage to do so can help you achieve more than you ever thought was possible.

Naadiya Moosajee

Naadiya Moosajee was just a young professional entering the Engineering field, when she had to face discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Rather than letting this discourage her from following her dreams, she instead became a passionate activist who continues to develop strong female talent in engineering through campaigns such as #1MillionGirlsinSTEM. If you ever feel underestimated, bullied or alienated because of your gender, race or any other factor, remember how Naadiya Moosajee took that negativity and let it fuel her mission for positive change.

Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai began speaking out about the importance of girls’ education when she was only 11. At the time, she didn’t realise that her call for change would make her a target for the Taliban, who shot her in 2012. Not only did she survive this terrible attack, she went on to thrive- inspiring change for millions of girls and becoming the youngest Nobel Laureate ever. She’s always been outspoken about why your age shouldn’t hold you back, and we couldn’t agree more!

Angeline Makore

After nearly becoming a victim of child marriage at 14 years old, Zimbabwean activist Angeline Makore became a leader in action against child marriage and sexual abuse. It takes great strength to overcome a traumatic experience for the sake of helping others who are in need. As a young female leader, you might face many challenges such as harsh criticism or others invalidating your opinions because of your age. While this can be discouraging, remember these 5 leaders and let their bravery and resilience encourage you to keep on going!