Real beauty is always supported by purpose. We highlight top beauty crown holders who are breaking the glass ceiling by creating advocacy on women's issues.
Khadija Omar, Miss World Somali
As a beauty queen, I have had the privilege to interact with many people in society and came to the realisation that women face many obstacles as they reach out to their set goals. This limits are out of cultural practices and societal expectations as well as a certain worldview in who a woman is as well as her place in society.
I have been working as a mentor, engaging closely with women who share their dreams and aspirations with the view of getting assisted to realise them.
Mainly, my organisation and I are breaking the barriers on matters to do with gender inequality, domestic abuse, genital mutilation, menstrual health and early marriages.
Women must learn to speak and stand for each other as they understand and relate better to issues that affect them.
As a beauty queen, I give exceptional gratitude to iconic heroines such as Malala Yousafzai, Greta Thunberg, Halima Aden, Serena Williams, Rosa Parks and Michelle Obama, who have impacted the world and broken barriers and as well proven to all, it can be done.
Cindy Isendi, Miss International Kenya
I am a mental health advocate who believes being kind is more important than being right.
Respect is one of the greatest expressions of love. We are born through a woman and there is no better way to show gratitude other than respecting women.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day this year, I would urge all to keep the dream burning that one day women and men will have equal rights; right to education, right to equal pay for same work, right to vote, right to voice out issues and many more.
As a female crown holder, I believe it is my responsibility to empower other women and to ensure they understand they are more than capable to be the best in the room. We ought to understand that just because society has put women in a box does not mean they should stay in it. It is time to break the barriers, past the culturally and socially set limits and push the envelope to attain new goals.
Sharon Obara, Miss World Kenya
Dignity is a virtue that we all must embrace for peaceful coexistence in society. We must learn to respect each other and appreciate our diversity.
As a crown holder, I intend to use my position to advocate for a safe society for women, one that pays attention to the mental disturbances that women face daily. I also want to amplify their voices to correct the societal ills they face.
The fact is that when we bring our voices together, we can effectively create a society that protects and cares for women.
Beauty pageants, and especially Miss World which has a global footprint, provide a ready platform that commands attention and allows for passionate causes that involve everyone to achieve transformation in areas such as attaining equality and equity.
I celebrate icons such as Wangari Maathai, who fought passionately for the protection of our environment. I look up to her tenacity and passionate drive to defend her cause.
Joyce Wairimu, Face of Nakuru City
As a beauty queen, I advocate for equality and work towards sensitising young women on the need to fight towards the attainment of equal status and opportunities in society. Discrimination against women has been a global challenge for generations.
I have a platform for advocating equality and equity and I am picking examples from heroines such as Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey who have proven to us that barriers can be broken.
I believe that it is a collective responsibility for all to promote gender equality. Currently, I am promoting good education and skill development for young girls. With the help of my pageant, I am working with vulnerable people in society to ensure they too enjoy the rights they are entitled to.
Linet Kinya, Miss University Kenya
I believe that beauty queens all over the world are a mirror that reflects who women should be. It is not just about having a crown, but carrying the whole world in your heart and illuminating the power of the woman.
Over the years, International Women’s Week has focused on building relationships, self-knowledge, sexual assault and interpersonal violence, healthy self-image and leadership development. These are roles most beauty pageants such as Miss University advocate for and is part of the duty I play as a crown holder.
We are coming from an age where some roles were a reserve of the male gender, times when some careers and top lucrative leadership positions could not accommodate women. That has changed overtime and as a beauty queen, I am joining people in the world who are advocating for change; for equity and equality.
I believe this is the century we should break all those barriers and have more women take up those platforms unapologetically. That is the generation I am standing for.