We've chosen our top 10 women of 2011, but who is No 1?
Every list of this type elicits the same question, and gets the same answer: it's impossible to choose. Some of these women, especially those living in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have faced grave personal danger, while others simply inspire millions of other women and girls. And we know from your comments elsewhere that you sense this dichotomy as keenly as we do.
Some of you also distrust any single-sex list. My view on this is that when mixed-gender lists start reflecting women's representation in society (roughly 50%) then lists that focus on the forgotten half holding up the sky can be dropped.
Anyway, it seemed the right time to draw up a representative list of some of the great achievements or campaigns of 2011, a year in which women's rights have moved up the agenda around the world – whether as a focus of the Arab spring, or at the heart of complaints from oppressive regimes or as political leaders.
Even then we cheated and counted three women as one. But, after waiting so long for a woman to win the Nobel peace prize (only 12 in its 110-year history) we got three at once this year. In choosing the women who brought peace to the formerly war-torn Liberia and marched against the use of rape and child soldiers in its bitter civil war and the youngest ever peace prize winner who did so much to fight for human rights in Yemen, we recognise the importance of their award for all women.
You may feel differently however. Should we pick one of these women? Or someone else entirely?
