Today, on 8 March, we celebrate International Women's Day to commemorate women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights movement. International Women's Day marks the global day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
This International Women's Day is a day to honour the women who made history and became the first female in their fields. Throughout history, many amazing women have made incredible contributions in science, sports, world exploration, politics, activism, literature, and even space.
These trailblazers not only achieved historical milestones in their lifetimes but also opened doors for future generations of women to follow their dreams. Here is a list of pioneering women who were first in the world to make history.
First Women in the World in Different Fields
The list below compiles the 'First Women in the World' who went on to win a Nobel Prize or performed a spacewalk. Let's look at the world-first achievements by these women.
1. First Woman to Win a Nobel Prize: Marie Curie (France/Poland, 1903) was honoured for her pioneering research in Physics.
2. First Woman Computer Programmer: Ada Lovelace (UK, 1843) wrote the first algorithm intended to be carried out by a machine.
3. First Woman to Win the Fields Medal: Maryam Mirzakhani (Iran, 2014) became the first woman to win the "Nobel Prize of Mathematics."
4. First Woman to Win the Turing Award: Frances Allen (USA, 2006) was recognized for her contributions to optimizing computer compilers.
5. First Woman to Receive a PhD: Elena Cornaro Piscopia (Italy, 1678) graduated from the University of Padua with a degree in Philosophy.
6. First Woman Prime Minister: Sirimavo Bandaranaike (Sri Lanka, 1960) became the world's first female head of government.
7. First Woman President of a Country: Isabel Perón (Argentina, 1974) assumed the presidency as the first female head of state.
8. First Woman Lead of the UN General Assembly: Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (India, 1953) was elected President of the 8th session.
9. First Woman Prime Minister in the Middle East: Golda Meir (Israel, 1969) served as the country’s fourth Prime Minister.
10. First Woman Supreme Court Justice: Sandra Day O’Connor (USA, 1981) was appointed to the highest court in the United States.
11. First Woman in Space: Valentina Tereshkova (USSR, 1963) orbited Earth 48 times in the Vostok 6 spacecraft.
12. First Woman to Fly Solo Around the World: Jerrie Mock (USA, 1964) completed her global flight in a single-engine Cessna 180.
13. First Woman to Break the Sound Barrier: Jacqueline Cochran (USA, 1953) flew an Orenda-engined Canadair F-86 Sabre.
14. First Woman to Perform a Spacewalk: Svetlana Savitskaya (USSR, 1984) conducted welding experiments outside the Salyut 7 station.
15. First Woman Licensed Pilot: Raymonde de Laroche (France, 1910) was issued license No. 36 by the Aero-Club de France.
16. First Woman to Summit Mount Everest: Junko Tabei (Japan, 1975) reached the peak of the world’s highest mountain.
17. First Woman to Ski Solo to the South Pole: Liv Arnesen (Norway, 1994) completed the unassisted journey in 50 days.
18. First Woman to Win an Olympic Gold Medal: Charlotte Cooper (UK, 1900) won the tennis singles title at the Paris Games.
19. First Woman to Circumnavigate the Globe: Jeanne Baret (France, 1766–1769) completed the voyage disguised as a cabin boy.
20. First Woman to Swim the English Channel: Gertrude Ederle (USA, 1926) completed the crossing in 14 hours and 31 minutes.
21. First Woman to Win the Pritzker Architecture Prize: Zaha Hadid (Iraq/UK, 2004) was the first woman honored with architecture’s highest prize.
22. First Woman to Win an Academy Award for Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (USA, 2010) won for the film The Hurt Locker.
23. First Woman to Anchor a Major News Program in the UK: Nan Winton (UK, 1960) was the first woman to read the national news on the BBC.
24. First Woman Foreign Correspondent: Martha Gellhorn (USA, 1937) reported from the front lines of the Spanish Civil War.
25. First Woman CEO of a Fortune 500 Company: Katharine Graham (USA, 1972) led The Washington Post Company to significant success.
These are a few of many pioneering women who shattered the societal barriers across different fields including politics, science, space, and sports, thus paved the path for future generations of females.
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