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Alexandra Kollontai, inspired by Marxist ideals, became a member of the revolutionary government and led a campaign to help women working in the appalling textile factories. Read her story here... Alexandra Kollontai 1872 - 1952 Russia Revolutionary Politics [Alexandra Kollontai image] Photograph of Alexandra Kollontai In pre-revolutionary Russia, aristocratic women’s...

After experiencing an unhappy marriage an even unhappier divorce, Caroline Norton successfully campaigned to make women equal to men in the eyes of the law. Discover more about her life... Caroline Norton England 1808 - 77 Legal Reform [Caroline Norton image] Caroline Norton by Sir George Hayter in 1832 In mid-nineteenth century England women’s legal rights were...

In the 17th century Nur Jahan exerted power over her Emperor husband, allowing her to give opportunities to orphaned girls and architectural developments in India. This article outlines her remarkable leadership...Find out more about The Open University's History courses and qualifications Nur Jahan India 1577 - 1645 Imperial Rule [Nur Jahan image] Portrait of Nur...

A rights activist against the exploitation that was prevalent in South Africa, Charlotte Maxeke was South Africa's first black female graduate and one of the first female freedom fighters. Find out more about her extraordinary story... Charlotte Maxeke 1874 - 1939 South Africa Activist [charlotte maxeke potrait] A portrait of Charlotte Maxeke South Africa was a...

Mary Prince's published tale of violence at the hands of her owners had a great impact on anti-slavery campaigns, eventually bringing the slave trade abolishment. Read her remarkable history here... Mary Prince Caribbean/England 1788 - ? Anti-slavery [History of Mary Prince book cover image] Mary Prince's novel - first edition cover It is estimated that, by 1800, there...

Queen Nzinga managed to call a halt to Portuguese slave raids in her kingdom through clever tactics. Read about her legacy in this article... Queen Nzinga c.1581-1663 Modern-day Angola State Leadership [Queen Nzinga image] Drawing of Queen Nzinga In the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, city states along the Central African coast began to be of interest...

Manuela Sáenz fought to liberate her Lima and Peru from Spanish colonialism and rose to be a general in Bolivar's rebel army. Discover more about her extraordinary tale... Manuela Sáenz 1797 - 1856 South America Revolutionary Politics [Manuela Sáenz image] Portrait of Manuela Saenz. In the early nineteenth-century, South America witnessed a series of wars and...