Womens studies, religions studies question?

The widow, Judith was instrumental in liberating the Israelites from the Assyrians, in a very dramatic and bloody narrative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Judith

The historicity of the account is disputed, however.

Gracia Mendes Nasi was instrumental in preserving and advancing Jewish learning in resistance to the Spanish Inquisition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracia_Mendes_Nasi

Soroh Shenirer helped preserve Jewish tradition and education in Poland during the early 20th century, where Jewish traditions were dying out due to ongoing repression.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Schenirer

Regina Jonas was the first woman ordained as a rabbi, having written a dissertation defending the ordination of women on the basis of Biblical, Talmudic, Midrashic, and other accepted sources. She was also a victim of the Holocaust.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regina_Jonas

Today, the Jewish Renewal movement, which seeks to unite progressive views on social justice and human rights with traditional approaches to spirituality, scholarship, and worship, is largely led by women.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Renewal

http://www.researchchannel.org/prog/displayevent.a...

http://www.ujafedny.org/jewish-renewal-a-vital-pur...

Although it did not turn out in her favor, Queen Boudicca was one of the main reasons Rome did not allow the British Isles to keep their religion like they did the rest of the Empire.

As for current issues that are religious based, not sure. There are tons of issues that roll around in religion, but make great efforts to validate themselves outside of that particular faith.

Mother Theresa

Princess Diana

Birth control has a very interesting history as far as women were involved in changing the archaic laws.

Pat Carney how she opposed new anti abortion laws that resulted in the situation we are in now. i.e. no law at all. She was punished by the Conservatives for not toeing the party line. She was in the Senate at the time.