Europa Celebrate International Women’s Day!

Politics and Law: Brenda Hale
Born in Leeds in 1945 Brenda Hale (Baroness Hale of Richmond) is a British judge, lawyer and university chancellor. Educated at Cambridge and made a law lord in 2004, and she was the youngest judge- and remains the only woman- to be appointed to this position. Described as a ‘trailblazer and troublemaker’ she campaigns to increase the diversity of the judiciary (which she discusses here) and was instrumental in introducing the Children’s Act in 1989. Take a look at Hale’s Who’s Who entry for a list of academic publications and some surprisingly sedate personal interests.
 

Science and Medicine: Dr Margaret Chan
Dr. Margaret Chan is the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). Born in 1947 in Hong Kong, she first worked as a home economics teacher before studying medicine at the University of Western Ontario. Described as the most powerful international public health official in history, Chan’s time at WHO has attracted both praise and criticism. Her decision- against considerable political opposition - to cull all 1.5 million ducks and chickens in the country was credited with stopping the spread of bird flu, however WHO’s classification of swine flu as a worldwide pandemic was widely criticized as an overreaction. Read an interview with Margaret in Frontline magazine here.
 

Arts: Itsuko Hasegawa
Itsuko Hasegawa, an architect renowned both in her native Japan and internationally, graduated from Kanto Gakuin University in 1964. After working as an architectural research assistant at the Tokyo Institute of Technology she established her own firm, Itsuko Hasegawa Atlier, in 1979. Lauded for her emphasis on the connection between architecture and society, she describes her own design process: ‘we consider the original landscape, food and art of a region to create vibrant facilities and a sense of connection with local customs and history.’ You can find a list critically acclaimed works, such as the Yamanshi Fruit Museum and Garden and the Niigata Performing Arts Centre in her Who’s Who entry.