Glamour magazine has picked Rihanna as the 2009 Woman of the Year for addressing the issue of domestic abuse on behalf of its many silent victims.
Serena Williams was also chosen as a Woman of the Year. 2009 saw Serena releasing an autobiography, opening a secondary school in Kenya, and winning more prize money than any female athlete in the history of sports.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, the first-ever African American female in her position, is leading a crusade at the United Nations to enforce a zero-tolerance policy on sexual violence.
First Lady of California Maria Shriver continues to helm the California Women's Conference, a growing mecca for female empowerment. And lately she's pioneering a massive study designed to shed light on policies that will help women manage their muti-role lives.
Actress Amy Poehler's role in reviving Saturday Night Live cemented her reputation as one of the most important female comedians at work today. Poehler views her work as a stealth mission to help empower young women.
Marissa Mayer, Vice President of Search Product and User Experience at Google, has played a pivotal role in developing all the company's offerings, from Gmail to Google Earth. Among her biggest goals is bringing more women into the technology workforce.
American journalists Laura Ling (top) and Euna Lee travelled to Asia to investigate the plight of North Korean women crossing the border into China only to become victims of human trafficking. But after stepping into North Korean territory, the two were arrested and jailed for 140 days. They were freed in August 2009.
U.S. poet Maya Angelou continues to write and teach at the age of 81. The former confidante of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X has written widely on her personal dealings with childhood rape, teenage motherhood and racism.
And U.S. first lady Michelle Obama was picked by Glamour for special recognition. A devoted mother, and the great-great-granddaughter of a slave, the first lady has earned the respect of the world by staying disarmingly normal despite the challenges of her new role.
