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The world’s most admired women are global citizens who are helping achieve the UN's Global Goals. Michelle Obama, Angelina Jolie, and Oprah Winfrey are all using their voices to address issues that will help end poverty. You can join us in taking action here

Votes are in for this year’s most admired women, and influential figures dedicated to social good made the top of the list. 

Across the world, people said they look up to Michelle Obama, Angelina Jolie, and Oprah Winfrey the most, according to a new survey

Market research firm YouGov collected nominations in December 2018 for its annual online poll on the top 20 most admired men and women in different regions. The company then interviewed 42,000 people in 41 countries in January 2019 to compile the list. 

The top five most admired women in the world all share a dedication to humanitarianism and philanthropy. Obama, the former first lady of the US, has committed her life to ensuring all children and families have better access to education, nutrition, health, and economic opportunities. Jolie, actress and special envoy for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is using her platform to draw attention to various refugee crises around the world, from Syria to Venezuela. Winfrey continuously contributes generous donations to various causes including natural disaster relief, and education

Additional women on the list include Queen Elizabeth II, who is a major champion for the environment and civic issues among many other causes, and actress Emma Watson, who is a vocal advocate for women’s rights

Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner and girls' education activist, placed sixth. Actress and Global Citizen Ambassador Priyanka Chopra — who fights for girls' access to education, especially refugee children and those in conflict areas — came in at No. 14.

Read More: Gates, Jolie, the Obamas: These Are the Most Admired People of 2018

While Obama, Jolie, and Winfrey appeared on YouGov’s previous poll, five new women joined the most admired women list this year: current first lady of the US Melania Trump, singer Peng Liyuan, scientist Tu Youyou, actress Sushmita Sen, and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres

Entertainers make up the majority of the most admired women’s list –– 12 are actresses, singers, or TV presenters –– whereas politicians, athletes, and business figures dominate the men’s. 

The top five most admired men in the world have remained unchanged since last year’s poll, with Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates ranking first, former US president Barack Obama second, actor Jackie Chan third, politician Xi Jinping fourth, and business mogul Jack Ma fifth. 

See the full top 20 lists of most admired men and women around the world:

World’s Most Admired Women 2019

  1. Michelle Obama
  2. Oprah Winfrey
  3. Angelina Jolie
  4. Queen Elizabeth II
  5. Emma Watson
  6. Malala Yousafzai
  7. Peng Liyuan
  8. Hillary Clinton
  9. Tu Youyou
  10. Taylor Swift
  11. Madonna
  12. Angela Merkel
  13. Deepika Padukone
  14. Priyanka Chopra
  15. Ellen Degeneres
  16. Aishwarya Rai
  17. Sushmita Sen
  18. Theresa May
  19. Melania Trump
  20. Yang Mi

World’s Most Admired Men 2019

  1. Bill Gates
  2. Barack Obama 
  3. Jackie Chan
  4. Xi Jinping
  5. Jack Ma
  6. Narendra Modi
  7. Cristiano Ronaldo
  8. Dalai Lama
  9. Lionel Messi
  10. Vladimir Putin
  11. Warren Buffett
  12. Amitabh Bachchan
  13. Elon Musk
  14. Donald Trump
  15. Pope Francis
  16. Shahrukh Khan
  17. Imran Khan
  18. Salman Khan
  19. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
  20. Andy Lau

News

Demand Equity

Michelle Obama Is 2019's Most Admired Woman in the World

By Gaëlle LanguéLeah Rodriguez  and  Erica Sánchez