It is both awe-inspiring and humbling when women resist, and choose to stand up for themselves. This is what courage looks like. It's goosebump inducing, and at times, it's impossible not to feel teary-eyed as we reflect on the immense sacrifices and suffering they endure to stand up for themselves—and for others. They became symbols of resilience. They stood up for themselves and they stood up for the entire sisterhood. Gisèle Pelicot, a 72-year-old rape survivor from France became a leading voice for justice. In a bold and unprecedented move, she waived her right to anonymity as a sexual assault victim in order to declare that "shame should change sides"—from the victim to the perpetrator. In what has been described as France's largest-ever rape trial, her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting to drugging and raping his wife for over a decade, while also inviting other men to abuse her. Gisèle's decision that made the headlines broke the silence that so often surrounds sexual violence, sending a powerful message that rape survivors should never bear the shame. The shame belongs to the perpetrators, to those who enable them, and to those who remain silent in the face of such atrocities. She forced society to confront the real issue — the need to hold accountable those who commit rapes, and the need to stop shaming rape survivor.There is such mad respect for women of Iran who have been fighting against patriarchal misogyny. Iranian women have been oppressed with brute force, but every now and then a brave heart risks it all to protest. In 2022, the regime’s “morality police” detained and beat a 22-year-old woman—Mahsa Jina Amini—for allegedly showing too much hair beneath her compulsory veil. Her death in custody triggered Iran’s longest anti-government protests. Over 20,000 people were arrested and over 500 killed, that included murder by the state through execution. But the struggle for justice is far from over. Just last month, Ahoo Daryaei, a student at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University, became a symbol of resistance when she stripped down to her underwear in protest against the university’s dress code enforcement. Confronted by security officers for not adhering to the compulsory veil, she was violently taken into custody and transported to a psychiatric facility. Her act of defiance serves as a stark reminder that the fight for freedom and gender equality is ongoing, and Iranian women continue to challenge their oppressive regime with extraordinary bravery.This year also saw powerful moments of global solidarity. In November, 100 FEMEN activists staged a topless protest outside the Louvre in Paris to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. With the words "Stop War on Women" and "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi" written across their bodies in French, English, and Kurdish, the protesters sent a resounding message of resistance to patriarchal violence. The demonstration showed the international nature of the fight for women's rights, showing that women across the world remain united in their opposition to oppression and violence.These are not isolated events, nor are women’s struggles nearing an end. The battle for justice, equality, and dignity continues, and it is a fight worth waging. The risks remain high, but the courage of women today can inspire future generations. Perhaps, through their collective actions, a world can be built for the younger ones where the oppression of women is a thing of the past.