As we kick off our move the needle campaign to improve gender equality, Tom Ravenscroft looks at how women architects have long been ignored by prize juries ? but how 2018 could be the year this changes.

It's only the start of March but this year already has seen three major victories for women. Japanese architect Itsuko Hasegawa won the inaugural Royal Academy Architecture Prize; Mexican architect Frida Escobedo was named only the second woman chosen to design the Serpentine Pavilion; and Spanish architect Carme Pinós became the second woman selected to design the annual MPavilion.
Prestigious architectural awards and notable commissions have historically been granted overwhelmingly to men, with women making up a tiny percentage of honorees. It is in an unprecedented display of equality that these three prestigious institutions have chosen to recognise women architects. In awarding Hasegawa their first-ever honour, the Royal Academy Architecture Prize jury pointedly acknowledged that the 76-year-old's contribution to architecture had been neglected, despite being "one of Japan's most important architects".
Architect Louisa Hutton, chair of the RA judges, said: "As a jury, we were unanimous in our decision, all agreeing that Hasegawa is an architect of great talent who has been under recognised. Through this prize we hope to bring her the much-needed recognition she deserves." You have to wonder whether a male architect of this stature would...