17-year-old Maria Mitko shines a spotlight on her favourite Women’s Desk articles from the past year
December 12, 2024
Best of 2024: Five must-read articles from the Women’s Desk section
This has been a revolutionary year for women worldwide. Kamala Harris became the second female candidate for the US presidency, while Claudia Sheinbaum made history as Mexico’s first female president.
At Harbingers’ we have had our own groundbreaking moments, including the launch of the Women’s Desk section in early May. During these months, the section has published numerous articles on a variety of important topics, fulfilling its role as a platform for women’s voices and perspectives.
Every article published in Women’s Desk this year has left its mark, but a few stand out for their exceptional writing or compelling subject matter or worldwide relevance. As the Women’s Desk Section Editor, I’ve compiled a list of five articles that I think everyone should read, presented in chronological order.
“Women-only spaces are necessary, not sexist. Here’s why” marked the launch of the Women’s Desk section. The article explores my personal reflections on such spaces, while addressing contrasting opinions. Drawing on 20th-century examples, I attempted to present a balanced argument.
Another significant milestone for Women’s Desk – and Harbingers’ as a whole – was the creation of the Armenian Newsroom. This initiative brought together five forcibly displaced teenage girls from Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) who embarked on a journalism course, honing their skills and finding their voices.
During a reporting trip to Armenia, Harbingers’ writer Charlotte Wejchert interviewed Lana, Lara, Alyona, Nare and Anita. Her article vividly captured their struggles and resilience nearly a year after fleeing to Armenia.
A few weeks after the Armenian newsroom launch, we began a new series of articles dedicated to uncovering forgotten female figures in modern culture. The project debuted with Ananya Prasanna’s article on five forgotten female scientists. This series will continue to explore and celebrate more unsung heroines.
Beyond these projects, our writers have tackled diverse and critical topics. Sanjana Senthil combined the crucial topic of sex education in her home country, the United States, with the lightheartedness of the renowned Netflix show. She explained why the current system of sex education isn’t sufficient, calling for reform.
Last, but not least, I would like to showcase the exceptional work of Noa Gomberg, the winner of the Harbinger Prize 2024 in the Women’s Desk category. In her article on the ‘girlhood’ trend on social media, she explains modern forms of misogyny and shows why feminism is still crucial. Using statistics and data, she illustrates the hidden dangers of this trend, making readers aware of its repercussions.