These teenage women are changing the world

Emma Gonzalez has sparked something in American teenagers, calling for a reform to the archaic gun laws. So we’ve looked at other teenage women also changing the world ...
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America is in the midst of a revolution.

It’s been one week since 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz stormed Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with a gun, in Parkland, Florida killing 17 people, some as young as 14.

This marked the eighteenth school shooting in the US since the start of this year.

18. In just seven weeks.

This figure, and the lack of laws being changed to prevent school shootings happening again in the future, has sparked something in the teenagers of America.

Many have staged walkouts in protest, saying it’s their lives at risk – not the adult lawmakers. These teenagers are taking matters into their own hands, advocating for stricter gun control and more mental health resources.

One of the more vocal teenagers is 17-year-old Emma Gonzalez. A survivor of the Parkland shooting, Gonzalez issued a call to action, saying “never again”.

During her moving speech, Gonzalez said: “Every single person up here today, all these people should be home grieving. But instead we are up here standing together because if all our government and President can do is send thoughts and prayers, then it's time for victims to be the change that we need to see.

“We are going to be the kids you read about in textbooks. Not because we're going to be another statistic about mass shooting in America, but because we are going to be the last mass shooting.”

Gonzalez’ speech sent shockwaves around the world and marked a new beginning of the tireless fight again gun laws in America.

British women who have changed the world - in pictures

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Gonzalez is just one of the many teenagers changing the world, below are three more you need to know about.

1. Yusra Mardini, 19

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A swimmer living in Berlin, Germany, Yusra Mardini was part of the Refugee Olympic Athletes team in 2016. Mardini is a refugee from Syria, her house was destroyed in the Syrian Civil War.

Along with her sister Sarah, they decided to flee Syria in 2015. From Turkey they arranged to be smuggled to Greece by boat with 18 other people – on a boat that was meant for six. During the voyage, the motor stopped working so Mardini, her sister and two other people who could swim got into the Aegean Sea and pushed the boat for three hours until they made land.

Last April, she was appointed a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador.

2. Kiara Nirghin, 18

Deon Raath/Foto24/ Gallo Images /Getty Images

Just two years ago, when South African woman Kiara Nirghin was 16, she won the grand prize at Google’s Science Fair.

Her invention? She created a super-absorbent material from orange peel that helped soil retain water. The invention was made from waste products from the juice manufacturing industry.

Nirghin said in her online submission: "The product is fully biodegradable, low-cost and has better water retaining properties than commercial SAPs. The only resources involved in the creation of the 'orange peel mixture' were electricity and time, no special equipment nor materials were required.”

This invention could be a miracle for farmers and their crops, while also helping to prevent drought.

3. Amika George, 18

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Amika George

Last year Amika George began her fight against period poverty (when people cannot afford sanitary items) in the UK with the campaign #FreePeriods. The premise of the campaign is simple, she wants the British government to give free sanitary items to girls on free school meals.

George previously told the Standard: “To me, this seemed logical, as these are the ones who are from families that are facing real financial challenges, who have been means-tested already.

“Many of these families depend on food banks to be able to eat. For them, period protection is so far down the list of priorities that it’s an unattainable luxury.”

As part of her campaign, she organised the #FreePeriods march in December last year which saw thousands of teenage girls join her to support the cause.

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