Lowitja O'Donoghue is one of the most influential Aboriginal activist who has spent her lifetime advocating for Aboriginal rights and welfare. As herself being a female activist, she has significantly affected female rights and has opened numerous opportunities for the next Aboroginal generation.

Lowitja O’Donoghue was born on August 1, 1932 in Indulkana, South Australia. Indulkana is now recognized as part of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands which is a remote Aboriginal community located in the northwestern of South Australia.

At the age of two, she was removed from her family by the South Australian Aboriginal Protection Board and was forced to join the "white" community like many other children at that time, the "Stolen Generations". This was due to the Australian government propelling Anglo-Australian culture.

O’Donoghue was determined to become a nurse at the age 16; however, her career choice was refused due to institutionalized racism. This impermissible event has led her to join the Aborigines' Advancement League, which had allow Aboriginal female to become nurse. She finally became the first Aboriginal nurse trainee in 1954.

In the 1960s, she had an opportunity to work as a nurse in India, which has contirbuted in broadening her perspective on indigenous cultures. She has realized that the Aboriginal people are in fact not the only people that has been colonized and despossessed. This experience in northern India made her determined to advocate indiginous rights and stand up against the Australian government's existing policies. She was the first woman to be the regional director of an Australian federal department, implementing Aboriginal welfare policy. She was not only part of this but also a member of the Order of Australia, National Aboriginal Consultative Committee, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, Australian Republic Advisory Committee and Cooperative Research Centre for Aborgianl and Tropical Health. Furthermore, Lowitja Institute was founded in her honor, and is funded by the Australian government.

Her lifetime of tireless work for rights and reconciliation including Aboriginal health, housing, community development, and land rights of Indigenous Australians has made her one of the most respected role model in the Australian history.

Source: https://www.lowitja.org.au