Happy International Day of the Girl! Now in its fifth year, the United Nations has designated October 11 as a day “to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.” To mark this year’s iteration we bring you, in no particular order, a collection of inspiring messages from high achieving women, to encourage the empowerment of girls everywhere.

1. “You must make women count as much as men; you must have an equal standard of morals; and the only way to enforce that is through giving women political power so that you can get that equal moral standard registered in the laws of the country. It is the only way.” Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the British suffragette movement

2. “Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.” Simone de Beauvoir, French existentialist writer and philosopher