100 Women (BBC)

100 Women
StatusActive
FrequencyAnnually
Years active11 in 2023
Inaugurated22 October 2013 (2013-10-22)
Most recentNovember 2023 (2023-11)
Website100 Women

100 Women is a BBC multi-format series established in 2013. The annual series examines the role of women in the 21st century and has included events in London[1] and Mexico.[2][3] Announcement of the list is the start of an international "BBC's women season", lasting three weeks including broadcast, online reports, debates and journalism on the topic of women.[4] Women around the world are encouraged to participate via Twitter and comment on the list, as well as on the interviews and debates that follow release of the list.[5]

History

After the 2012 Delhi gang rape, then BBC Controller Liliane Landor,[6] BBC editor Fiona Crack[7] and other journalists, were inspired to create a series focusing on the issues and achievements of women in society today.[8] They felt that many of the issues women faced were not getting in-depth coverage, and in March 2013 a "flood of feedback from female listeners" was received by the BBC to the effect that the corporation should provide more "content from and about women."[9]

The BBC launched this series in 2013 to address the under-representation of women in the media.[8][10] Women to participate in the first programme were chosen by survey in 26 different language services.[9] Programming ran over the course of a month, culminating in a conference held on 25 October, in which 100 women from across the world discussed issues they shared. A wide range of topics were debated covering employment challenges, feminism, motherhood, and religion,[11] to examine both the cultural and social challenges women faced in living their lives.[12]

The series has since covered many topics, including education, healthcare, equal pay, genital mutilation, domestic violence, and sexual abuse[13] and seeks to provide women with a platform to discuss how to improve the world and eliminate sexism.[14] Women included on the list are from around the globe, and involved in diverse fields of endeavour.[15] Women who are already famous are included, as well as people who are less known.[16][17]

Laureates

2023

The 2023 list was released on 21 November and it included 21 women involved with climate change. The laureates included the Indian cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur, Aitana Bonmatí, Michelle Obama, Amal Clooney, Timnit Gebru, Trần Gấm and Huda Kattan. The list was subdivided into four categories: Culture & Education, Entertainment & Sport, Politics & Advocacy and Science, Health & Tech, with 28 of the laureates dubbed climate pioneers (shown as green rows below).[18]

Politics & Advocacy

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Maryam Al-Khawaja Bahrain (also a citizen of  Denmark)Human rights campaigner, board member of Civicus and the International Service for Human Rights
Shamsa Araweelo Somalia (also a citizen of the  UK)Anti-FGM campaigner
Yasmina Benslimane MoroccoFounder of Politics4Her and gender equality campaigner
Yael Braudo-Bahat IsraelPeace activist and co-director at Women Wage Peace
Alicia Cahuiya EcuadorIndigenous rights activist
Amal Clooney Lebanon (also a citizen of the  UK)Human rights lawyer
Dehenna Davison UKMember of Parliament
Christiana Figueres Costa RicaDiplomat and climate policy negotiator with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Bella Galhos East TimorPolitical activist and LGBTQ+ rights advocate
Rina Gonoi[19] JapanFormer military officer and anti-sexual harassment activist
Sonia Guajajara BrazilState minister for native peoples and indigenous rights campaigner
Renita Holmes USAHousing rights campaigner
Nataša Kandić SerbiaLawyer and human rights activist. Founder of the Humanitarian Law Center
Rukshana Kapali   NepalHousing rights campaigner and transgender human rights activist
Sofia Kosachyova RussiaFirefighter
Monica McWilliams UKFormer politician and peace negotiator during the Good Friday Agreement talks. Co-founder of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
Najla Mohamed-Lamin Western SaharaWomen's rights and climate activist in the Saharawi refugee camps
Ulanda Mtamba MalawiCampaigner against child marriage
Tamar Museridze GeorgiaInvestigative journalist
Neema Namadamu Democratic Republic of CongoDisability rights campaigner
Michelle Obama USAAttorney, author and campaigner
Sepideh Rashnu[20] IranWriter and artist
Bernadette Smith CanadaAdvocate for families of missing indigenous women and girls. Co-founder of Drag the Red
Iryna Stavchuk UkraineClimate policy adviser at the European Climate Foundation
Gloria Steinem USAFeminist leader and co-founder of Ms. magazine
Summia Tora AfghanistanRefugee rights campaigner
Xu Zaozao ChinaEgg freezing campaigner. Advocate for single women's reproductive rights and bodily autonomy

Entertainment & Sport

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Aitana Bonmatí SpainFootballer, winner of the Ballon d'Or and former UEFA player of the year
Antinisca Cenci ItalyEquestrian vaulter
Andreza Delgado BrazilCurator and cultural manager. Co-founder of PerifaCon
Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi IndonesiaSpeed climber
America Ferrera USAActor and Latino rights advocate
Anne Grall FranceComedian
Georgia Harrison UKTV personality. Anti-revenge porn campaigner
Harmanpreet Kaur IndiaCricketer
Dayeon Lee South KoreaClimate change campaigner for Kpop4Planet
Justina Miles USADeaf performer
Dia Mirza IndiaActor. Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme and a board member of the Sanctuary Nature Foundation
Zandile Ndhlovu South AfricaFreediving instructor
Alice Oseman UKAward-winning author, illustrator and screenwriter
Paramida GermanyDJ and music producer
Camila Pirelli ParaguayOlympic heptathlete and EcoAthlete Champion
Aziza Sbaity LebanonSprinter
Khine Hnin Wai MyanmarActor and activist
Bianca Williams UKAthlete

Culture & Education

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Afroze-Numa PakistanShepherdess
Hosai Ahmadzai AfghanistanTV presenter on Shamshad TV
Esi Buobasa GhanaFishmonger
Chila Kumari Burman UKArtist
Paulina Chiziane MozambiqueWriter. Winner of the Camões Prize
Susanne Etti AustraliaSustainable tourism expert
Licia Fertz ItalyAnti-ageism, feminism and LGBTQ+ activist
Jannatul Ferdous BangladeshBurns survivor, film-maker, writer and disability rights campaigner
Natalia Idrisova TajikistanGreen energy consultant
Vee Kativhu Zimbabwe (also a citizen of the  UK)Content creator and YouTuber
Huda Kattan USAFounder of Huda Beauty
Sophia Kianni USAStudent and social entrepreneur
Arati Kumar-Rao IndiaPhotographer
Louise Mabulo PhilippinesFarmer and entrepreneur. Recognised by the United Nations Environment Programme as a Young Champion of the Earth
Marijeta Mojašević MontenegroDisability rights activist
Sarah Ott USASchool teacher and climate change ambassador with the National Center for Science Education
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo[21] UK (citizen of  India)Bhikṣuṇī buddhist nun
Lala Pasquinelli ArgentinaArtist, lawyer, poet, lesbian and feminist activist
Jess Pepper UKFounder of Climate Café and fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Matcha Phorn-in ThailandCampaigner for indigenous and LGBTQ+ rights
Carolina Díaz Pimentel PeruJournalist specialising in neurodivergence and mental health coverage
Shairbu Sagynbaeva KyrgyzstanCo-founder of For Life sewing shop
Daria Serenko RussiaPoet, writer and political activist. Member of Feminist Anti-War resistance
Kera Sherwood-O'Regan New ZealandIndigenous rights and disability advocate
Sagarika Sriram United Arab EmiratesEducator and climate adviser
Clara Elizabeth Fragoso Ugarte MexicoTruck driver
Oksana Zabuzhko UkraineWriter

Science, Health & Tech

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Basima Abdulrahman IraqGreen building entrepreneur
Bayang ChinaDiarist and sustainability advocate
Amina Al-Bish SyriaVolunteer rescue worker with the Syria Civil Defence
Rumaitha Al Busaidi OmanScientist
Sara Al-Saqqa PalestineGeneral surgeon
Susan Chomba KenyaScientist and director at the World Resources Institute
Leanne Cullen-Unsworth UKMarine scientist
Canan Dagdeviren[22][23] TurkeyScientist and inventor
Izabela Dłużyk PolandSound recordist
Marcela Fernández ColombiaExpedition guide
Anamaría Font Villarroel VenezuelaParticle physicist
Trần Gấm VietnamBiogas business owner
Timnit Gebru Ethiopia (citizen of  USA)AI expert
Claudia Goldin USAEconomist and recipient of Nobel Prize in Economics
Anna Huttunen FinlandCarbon impact tech expert
Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka UgandaVeterinarian and conservationist. Founder of Conservation Through Public Health. Recognised by the United Nations Environment Programme as a Champion of the Earth in 2021
Sonia Kastner USAWildfire detection tech developer
Astrid Linder SwedenProfessor of traffic safety
Neha Mankani PakistanMidwife
Wanjira Mathai KenyaEnvironmental adviser. Former leader of the Green Belt Movement. Managing director for Africa & Global Partnerships at the World Resources Institute and adviser to the Clean Cooking Alliance and the European Climate Foundation
Isabel Farías Meyer ChileJournalist and early menopause campaigner
Natalie Psaila MaltaMedical doctor
Olena Rozvadovska UkraineChildren's rights advocate
Sumini IndonesiaForest manager
Fabiola Trejo MexicoSocial psychologist
Jennifer Uchendu NigeriaMental health advocate. Founder of SustyVibes
Qiyun Woo SingaporeStoryteller and environmentalist
Elham Youssefian Iran (citizen of  USA)Human rights lawyer, adviser on climate and adviser on disability to the International Disability Alliance

2022

The list for 2022 was released on 6 December. Women included this year were Olena Zelenska of Ukraine, Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, the singer Billie Eilish, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Selma Blair, Lina Abu Akleh, Alla Pugacheva, Elnaz Rekabi and Yulimar Rojas. The list was subdivided into four categories: Culture & Sport, Activism & Advocacy, Politics & Education and Health & Science.[24]

Politics & Education

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Maeen Al-Obaidi YemenLawyer and mediator
Fatima Amiri AfghanistanStudent
Nathalie Becquart France (also a citizen of the  Vatican City)Nun in the Congregation of Xavières and first ever female Undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops.
Taisia Bekbulatova RussiaJournalist. Founder of the independent media outlet Holod
Kristina Berdynskykh UkraineJournalist
María Fernanda Castro Maya MexicoDisability rights advocate
Chanel[25] Contos AustraliaSexual consent activist
Eva Copa BoliviaPolitician and mayor of El Alto of Aymara descent
Joy Ezeilo NigeriaLaw professor and former United Nations special rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons
Ibijoke Faborode NigeriaFounder of ElectHER
Erika Hilton BrazilPolitician and campaigner for black and LGBT rights. The first black trans woman ever elected to a seat in the National Congress of Brazil
Park Ji-hyun South KoreaPolitical reformer
Zahra Joya AfghanistanJournalist and founder of Rukhshana Media
Ursula von der Leyen GermanyFirst ever female President of the European Commission
Naomi Long Northern Ireland (uses a  UK passport)Politician and former Lord Mayor of Belfast
Ayesha Malik PakistanFirst female judge on the Supreme Court of Pakistan
Zara Mohammadi IranKurdish language educator
Mia Mottley BarbadosFirst female Prime Minister of Barbados
Sepideh Qoliyan IranPolitical campaigner and workers’ rights advocate
Roza Salih Iraq (active in  Scotland,  UK)Politician and member of activist group the Glasgow Girls
Simone Tebet BrazilMember of the Brazilian Federal Senate
Kisanet Tedros EritreaEducational entrepreneur and Tigrinyan digital content creator
Cheng Yen TaiwanBuddhist philanthropist, founder of the Tzu Chi humanitarian organisation
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe Iran (also a citizen of the  UK)Charity worker
Olena Zelenska UkraineIncumbent First Lady, architect and screenwriter

Culture & Sport

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Dima Aktaa SyriaRefugee and parathlete
Zar Amir Ebrahimi IranActor and founder of Alambic Productions
Selma Blair USAActor and multiple sclerosis awareness campaigner
Ona Carbonell SpainOlympic medal winning synchronised swimmer
Sarah Chan South SudanNBA scout and former professional basketball player. Advocate for education and sports
Priyanka Chopra IndiaActor and producer. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, campaigning for children's rights and education for girls
Billie Eilish USASinger and songwriter
Ons Jabeur TunisiaTennis player
Sneha Jawale IndiaSocial worker
Reema Juffali Saudi ArabiaRacing driver and founder of Theeba Motorsport
Kadri Keung Hong KongFashion designer
Mie Kyung (Miky) Lee South KoreaProducer, architect of KCON music festival and vice-chair of CJ ENM
Laura McAllister Wales UKProfessor and former footballer. LGBTQ+ sports ambassador
Milli ThailandRap artist
Rita Moreno Puerto Rico USAEGOT winning actor
Salima Rhadia Mukansanga RwandaFootball referee
Alla Pugacheva RussiaMusician
Elnaz Rekabi IranClimber, appeared at the Asian Championships without a hijab in violation of Iranian law and was arrested as her action was interpreted by the Iranian government as a silent protest against the law in the context of feminist protesters in Iran at the time
Yulimar Rojas VenezuelaOlympic medal winning triple jumper and LGBTQ+ rights advocate
Sally Scales AustraliaPitjantjatjaran artist
Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah GhanaWriter and feminist activist
Geetanjali Shree IndiaAuthor and winner of the International Booker Prize
Alexandra Skochilenko RussiaArtist, imprisoned by the Russian government for protesting against the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Velia Vidal ColombiaWriter and El Chocó cultural and education campaigner
Esraa Warda Algeria USADancer and proponent of raï,a grassroots genre historically associated with social protest

Activism & Advocacy

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Lina Abu Akleh PalestineHuman rights advocate
Velmariri Bambari IndonesiaActivist and women's rights campaigner
Tarana Burke USAActivist. Started the MeToo movement.
Sanjida Islam Choya BangladeshStudent
Heidi Crowter UKDisability rights campaigner with an emphasis on Down syndrome
Sandya Eknelygoda Sri LankaHuman rights activist
Gohar Eshghi IranCivil activist and Iranian Complainant Mother
Ceci Flores MexicoActivist and member of the Madres Buscadoras de Sonora collective
Geraldina Guerra Garcés EcuadorWomen's rights and anti-femicide activist
Moud Goba UKRefugee and LGBTQ+ rights activist. Founding member of UK Black Pride
Women cutting their hair IranGroup protesting against Iranian laws against women, (especially the law mandating that women wear a hijab at all times) and against its restrictive laws and theocratic government in general
Gehad Hamdy EgyptDentist and humanitarian
Judith Heumann USADisability rights advocate
Jebina Yasmin Islam UKCampaigner for women's safety
Layli (pseudonym) IranProtester
Hadizatou Mani NigerAnti-slavery campaigner
Oleksandra Matviichuk UkraineHuman rights lawyer and pro-democracy activist at the Center for Civil Liberties. Helps Ukraine document proof of Russian atrocities resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Narges Mohammadi IranJournalist and human rights campaigner. Vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center
Tamana Zaryab Paryani AfghanistanHuman rights activist
Alice Pataxó BrazilIndigenous rights activist and climate campaigner
Roya Piraei IranKurdish rights activist
Yuliia Sachuk UkraineDisability rights advocate
Suvada Selimović Bosnia and HerzegovinaPeace campaigner
Efrat Tilma IsraelTransgender volunteer and LGBTQ+ activist
Zhou Xiaoxuan ChinaFeminist activist

Health & Science

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Aye Nyein Thu MyanmarMedical doctor
Sirisha Bandla IndiaAeronautical engineer
Victoria Baptiste USANurse and vaccine educator. WHO Goodwill Ambassador for cervical cancer elimination
Niloufar Bayani IranEcologist and programme manager at the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation
Sandy Cabrera Arteaga HondurasSexual and reproductive rights advocate
Samrawit Fikru EthiopiaTech entrepreneur
Wegahta Gebreyohannes Abera EthiopiaHumanitarian aid worker
Dilek Gürsoy GermanyHeart surgeon
Sofía Heinonen ArgentinaConservationist
Kimiko Hirata JapanClimate change activist. Recipient of Goldman Environmental Prize
Judy Kihumba KenyaSign language interpreter
Marie Christina Kolo MadagascarClimate entrepreneur and ecofeminist
Iryna Kondratova UkrainePaediatrician at the Kharkiv Regional Perinatal Centre
Asonele Kotu South AfricaTech entrepreneur
Erika Liriano Dominican RepublicCocoa entrepreneur.
Naja Lyberth GreenlandPsychologist and trauma therapist
Nigar Marf IraqNurse
Monica Musonda ZambiaBusinesswoman and nutrition advocate
Ifeoma Ozoma USAPublic policy and tech specialist
Yuliia Paievska UkraineParamedic and founder of Taira's Angels
Jane Rigby USAAstronomer and astrophysicist. Advocate for equity and inclusion in STEM
Ainura Sagyn KyrgyzstanComputer engineer and ecofeminist
Monica Simpson USAReproductive justice activist. Executive director of SisterSong
Maryna Viazovska UkraineMathematician. Winner of the Fields Medal
Yana Zinkevych UkrainePolitician, front-line medical volunteer and military veteran

2021

The 2021 list was published on 7 December with special focus on Afghanistan. The year's keyword is reset, covering women who have contributed to "playing their part to reinvent our society, our culture and our world". The list was subdivided into four categories: Culture & Education, Entertainment & Sport, Politics & Activism and Science & Health, with half the total laureates being Afghan.[26]

Not everyone's real name was used for their safety; pseudonymised laureates are marked in the table below with an asterisk.

Culture & Education

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Lima Aafshid AfghanistanPoet and writer
Oluyemi Adetiba-Orija[27] NigeriaLawyer and founder of the all-women law firm Headfort Foundation
Rada Akbar AfghanistanArtist
Catherine Corless IrelandLocal historian
Pashtana Durrani AfghanistanTeacher, founder and executive director of Learn Afghanistan
Saeeda Etebari AfghanistanJewellery designer
Sahar Fetrat AfghanistanFeminist activist, writer and film-maker
Melinda French Gates United StatesPhilanthropist and businesswoman
Saghi Ghahraman IranPoet and co-founder the Iranian Queer Organization
Angela Ghayour AfghanistanTeacher and founder of The Herat Online School
Najlla Habibyar AfghanistanEntrepreneur
Shamsia Hassani AfghanistanStreet artist
Mugdha Kalra IndiaAutism-rights activist and co-founder of Not That Different
Freshta Karim AfghanistanChildren's-rights activist and founder of Charmaghz mobile library
Aliya Kazimy AfghanistanEducator
Baroness Helena Kennedy QC United KingdomDirector, International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute
Iman Le Caire EgyptContemporary dancer, choreographer and LGBTQ+ activist. Founder, Trans Asylias
Depelsha Thomas McGruder United StatesFounder of Moms of Black Boys United, COO of the Ford Foundation
Fahima Mirzaie AfghanistanWhirling-dervish dancer
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie[27] NigeriaWriter
Lynn Ngugi[27] KenyaJournalist
Rehana Popal AfghanistanBarrister
*Rohila AfghanistanSchoolgirl
Alba Rueda ArgentinaTrans activist
Elif Shafak FranceNovelist and advocate for women's and LGBTQ+ rights
Anisa Shaheed AfghanistanJournalist
Mina Smallman United KingdomPriest and educator
Barbara Smolińska PolandFounder of Reborn Sugar Babies
Adelaide Lala Tam ChinaArtist and food designer
Vera Wang United StatesFashion designer
Malala Yousafzai PakistanNobel Peace Prize laureate, co-founder of the Malala Fund and girls’ education activist

Entertainment & Sport

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Halima Aden KenyaHumanitarian and former model. UNICEF ambassador for children's rights.
Leena Alam AfghanistanActor and human-rights activist
Sevda Altunoluk TurkeyProfessional goalball player and Paralympic champion
Nilofar Bayat AfghanistanWheelchair basketball player and advocate for women with disabilities
Carolina García ArgentinaDirector, Netflix
Ghawgha Taban AfghanistanMusician
Chloé Lopes Gomes FranceBallet dancer
Tanya Muzinda[28] ZimbabweMotocross champion
*Razma AfghanistanMusician
Roya Sadat AfghanistanFilm-maker
Shogufa Safi AfghanistanOrchestra conductor
*Sahar AfghanistanFootballer
Fatima Sultani AfghanistanMountaineer and martial arts expert
Nanfu Wang ChinaFilm-maker
Ming-Na Wen Macau
( China)
Actor
Rebel Wilson AustraliaActress, writer and producer

Politics & Activism

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Muqadasa Ahmadzai AfghanistanSocial and political activist. Recipient of N-Peace award
Abia Akram PakistanDisability rights activist
Dr Alema AfghanistanPhilosopher, campaigner and women's-rights advocate
Wahida Amiri AfghanistanLibrarian and protester
Natasha Asghar United KingdomMember of the Welsh Senedd
Marcelina Bautista MexicoActivist and union leader
Crystal Bayat AfghanistanSocial activist and human-rights advocate
Razia Barakzai AfghanistanProtester
Najla El Mangoush United Kingdom
 Libya
Libyan Minister of Foreign Affairs
Shila Ensandost AfghanistanTeacher and women's rights advocate
Fatima Gailani AfghanistanPeace negotiator
Momena Ibrahimi AfghanistanPolicewoman
Hoda Khamosh IranPeriod campaigner, poet and journalist
Elisa Loncón Antileo ChilePresident, Constitutional Convention
*Maral AfghanistanCampaigner
*Masouma AfghanistanPublic prosecutor
Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa SamoaPrime minister of the Independent State of Samoa
Salima Mazari IranPolitician and former governor of Charkint district
Amanda Nguyen United StatesSocial entrepreneur, civil-rights activist and founder of Rise
Basira Paigham AfghanistanGender-equality and gender-minorities activist
Monica Paulus Papua New GuineaCampaigner against sorcery accusation-related violence
Manjula Pradeep IndiaLawyer and human-rights activist. Executive director of the Navsarjan Trust
Halima Sadaf Karimi AfghanistanCampaigner for women's rights, politician and former MP
Soma Sara United KingdomFounder of Everyone's Invited
Mahbouba Seraj AfghanistanWomen's and children's rights activist. Founder, Afghan Women's Network
*Ein Soe May MyanmarPro-democracy activist
Piper Stege Nelson United StatesWomen's-rights activist and Public Strategies Officer at The Safe Alliance
Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng[29] MyanmarCatholic nun
Emma Theofelus NamibiaPolitician
Benafsha Yaqoobi AfghanistanDisabled rights advocate
Zala Zazai AfghanistanPolicewoman

Science & Health

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Mónica Araya Costa RicaEmissions-free transportation advocate
Zuhal Atmar AfghanistanEntrepreneur and founder of Gul-e-Mursal recycling
Jos Boys United KingdomArchitect
Faiza Darkhani AfghanistanEnvironmentalist and women's rights advocate
Azmina Dhrodia CanadaSafety policy lead at Bumble
Jamila Gordon SomaliaChief Executive and founder of Lumachain
Laila Haidari PakistanWomen's rights advocate and founder of Mother Camp, drug rehabilitation centre
Zarlasht Halaimzai AfghanistanCo-founder and chief executive of Refugee Trauma Initiative
Nasrin Husseini AfghanistanVeterinarian
Amena Karimyan AfghanistanAstronomer
Mia Krisna Pratiwi IndonesiaEnvironmentalist and eco-activist
Heidi Larson United StatesAnthropologist and Director of The Vaccine Confidence Project. Recipient of the Edinburgh Medal
Sevidzem Ernestine Leikeki CameroonClimate activist
*Mahera AfghanistanMedical doctor
Mulu Mesfin EthiopiaNurse
Mohadese Mirzaee AfghanistanPilot
Tlaleng Mofokeng South AfricaUniversal health access advocate and United Nations special rapporteur on the right to health
Natalia Pasternak Taschner BrazilMicrobiologist and science writer
*Ruksana AfghanistanSurgeon
Sara Wahedi AfghanistanChief executive of Ehtesab
Roshanak Wardak AfghanistanGynaecologist and former Member of Parliament
Yuma TurkmenistanPsychotherapist and LGBTQ+ activist

2020

The 2020 list was described as "different" before it was scheduled to be announced on 24 November 2020,[30] but it was released the day before. One name on the list was left blank as a tribute to the countless women around the world who had made sacrifices to help others. The list was subdivided into four categories: Knowledge, Leadership, Creativity and Identity.[31]

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription[32]
Unsung heroWorldwideAcknowledgement of the "countless women around the world" who "have made a sacrifice to help others" in this "extraordinary year," including those who "have lost their lives while making a difference."

Knowledge

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Rina Akter BangladeshBangladeshi sex worker turned humanitarian
Sarah Al-Amiri UAEChair, UAE Space Agency
Adriana Albini ItalyPathologist and veteran fencer
Nisreen Alwan Iraq

 United Kingdom

Health and wellbeing of women through public health
Elizabeth Anionwu United KingdomSickle cell and thalassaemia nurse specialist
Diana Barran United KingdomMinister for Civil Society and founder of SafeLives, a national charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse
Macinley Butson AustraliaInventor
Fang Fang ChinaWriter
Somaya Faruqi AfghanistanRobotics team leader
Lauren Gardner USAEpidemiologist
Iman Ghaleb Al-Hamli YemenManager of a women-run microgrid
Sarah Gilbert United KingdomScientist who developed one of the COVID-19 vaccines
Rebeca Gyumi TanzaniaLawyer and founder of girls' rights organization Msichana Initiative
Jemimah Kariuki KenyaDoctor and creator of the free Wheels for Life ambulance service
Safaa Kumari SyriaPlant virologist
Ishtar Lakhani South AfricaFeminist activist
Lucy Monaghan United KingdomCampaigner against sexual violence
Douce Namwezi N'IbambaDemocratic Republic of the Congo DRCSocial entrepreneur, journalist and activist
Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu UgandaMental health programme developer
Vernetta M Nay Moberly United StatesIñupiaq environmental activist
Sania Nishtar[33] PakistanGlobal health leader
Lorna Prendergast AustraliaDementia researcher
Susana Raffalli VenezuelaDelivering nutrition to the malnourished
Sapana Roka Magar[34]   NepalCrematorium technician
Pardis Sabeti IranComputational geneticist
Febfi Setyawati IndonesiaActivist, founder of Untukteman.id
Ruth Shady PeruArchaeologist
Kathy Sullivan United StatesScientist and astronaut
Rima Sultana Rimu BangladeshTeacher and humanitarian activist working with Rohingya refugees
Anastasia Volkova UkraineAgricultural innovator. Founder of FluroSat
Siouxsie Wiles[35] UKScientist and public health communicator
Yee-Sin Leo SingaporeDoctor and research leader

Leadership

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Loza Abera Geinore EthiopiaAssociation footballer
Christina Adane NetherlandsCampaigner against injustices of food system (free school meals)
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr Sierra LeoneMayor of Freetown
Ubah Ali SomalilandAdvocate against female genital mutilation
Nadeen Ashraf EgyptAdvocate against sexual harassment
Bilkis Dadi IndiaProtest leader
Evelina Cabrera ArgentinaFootball coach and manager.
Carolina Castro ArgentinaAdvocate for gender equality
Agnes Chow Hong KongPro-democracy activist
Naomi Dickson UKAdvocate for Jewish women and children suffering from domestic abuse
Ilwad Elman SomaliaPeace activist
Jeong Eun-kyeong South KoreaKorea Disease Control and Prevention Agency commissioner, led COVID-19 response
Maggie Gobran EgyptCoptic nun and child welfare advocate
Deta Hedman JamaicaDarts champion
Manasi Joshi IndiaPara-badminton champion
Salsabila Khairunnisa IndonesiaEnvironmental campaigner and School Strike for Climate leader
Claudia López Hernández ColombiaMayor of Bogotá
Sanna Marin FinlandPrime Minister of Finland
Vanessa Nakate UgandaClimate activist
Nemonte Nenquimo EcuadorWaorani activist
Phyllis Omido KenyaEnvironmental activist. Winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize
Ridhima Pandey IndiaClimate activist
Oksana Pushkina RussiaPolitician, member of the State Duma
Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul ThailandStudent activist
Nasrin Sotoudeh IranLawyer and human rights activist
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya BelarusExiled Belarus politician
Arussi Unda MexicoCampaigner against femicide
Aisha Yesufu[36] NigeriaActivist, co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign
Gulnaz Zhuzbaeva KyrgyzstanDisability activist

Creativity

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Houda Abouz[37] MoroccoRapper, women's rights and gender equality advocate
Waad al-Kateab SyriaActivist, journalist and filmmaker
Tsitsi Dangarembga ZimbabweNovelist and filmmaker
Karen Dolva NorwayChief executive and co-founder of No Isolation
Jane Fonda United StatesActor and social activist
Kiran Gandhi United StatesSinger, musician, and gender liberation activist
Miho Imada JapanMaster sake brewer
IsaivaniIndia IndiaGaana singer and political campaigner
Nadine Kaadan FranceChildren's author and illustrator
Mulenga Kapwepwe ZambiaArtist and co-founder of the Zambian Women's History Museum
Jackie Kay United KingdomPlaywright, novelist and national poet of Scotland
Mahira Khan[33] PakistanActor and activist and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
Angélique Kidjo BeninMusician and UNICEF ambassador
Chu Kim Duc VietnamArchitect and child welfare activist
Bulelwa Mkutukana[38] South AfricaSinger songwriter
Nandar MyanmarFeminist activist
Ana Tijoux FranceChilean hip hop protester
Yulia Tsvetkova RussiaActivist, political prisoner
Kotchakorn Voraakhom ThailandLandscape architect
Elin Williams United KingdomDisability rights activist
Michelle Yeoh MalaysiaActor and UN goodwill ambassador

Identity

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Muyesser Abdul'ehed (AKA Hendan) ChinaUyghur writer and language activist
Erica Baker GermanySoftware engineer
Cindy Bishop ThailandUN goodwill ambassador and model
Wendy Beatriz Caishpal Jaco El SalvadorAdvocate for the rights of disabled people
Patrisse Cullors USAHuman rights activist. Co-founder and executive director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
Shani Dhanda UKDisability activist
Eileen Flynn IrelandSenator and social activist
Alicia Garza USAHuman rights activist. Co-creator of Black Lives Matter and the Black Lives Matter Global Network
Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim[36]Nigeria NigeriaLGBTQ film director and activist
Gülsüm Kav TurkeyDoctor, activist, co-founder of We Will Stop Femicide
Josina Machel MozambiqueHuman rights activist
Hayat Mirshad LebanonFeminist activist, journalist, co-founder of Fe-Male collective
Laleh Osmany AfghanistanWomen's rights activist and founder of #WhereIsMyName campaign
Cibele Racy BrazilTeacher, racial equality activist
22 - Lea T-001 (17107157436) (cropped).jpgLea T BrazilTransgender rights advocate and model
Ayu (Opal) Tometi USAHuman rights activist. Co-founder of Black Lives Matter
Alice Wong United StatesDisability rights activist. Founder of the Disability Visibility Project

2019

The 2019 list was announced on 16 October 2019. The list of candidates was chosen from those nominated by the BBC's different language teams using the 2020 theme which was "The Female Future". The list was subdivided into six categories: Earth, Knowledge, Leadership, Creativity, Sport and Identity.[39]

Earth

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Judith Bakirya UgandaOrganic farmer and women's rights activist
Ella Daish United KingdomEnvironmentalist and anti-plastic campaigner
Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman United StatesUrban anthropologist and co-founder of The Women Led Cities Initiative
Gada Kadoda SudanFounder of the Sudanese Knowledge Society and trainer of community engineers
Jamie Margolin United StatesClimate change activist and co-founder of Zero Hour movement
Francia Márquez ColombiaAfro-Colombian environmentalist and leader of a 10-day, 350-mile women's march. Winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize
Trang Nguyen VietnamWildlife conservationist and founder of WildAct
Autumn Peltier CanadaClean water advocate
Swietenia Puspa Lestari IndonesiaFounder of the Divers Clean Action Foundation and anti-straw campaigner
Charlene Ren ChinaClean water advocate, creator of MyH2O
Najat Saliba LebanonAir pollution researcher and chemistry professor
Vandana Shiva IndiaEnvironmental leader and winner of the Alternative Nobel Peace Prize
Greta Thunberg SwedenClimate change activist
Marilyn Waring New ZealandFeminist economist and environmental activist

Knowledge

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
MiMi Aung United StatesNASA project manager and engineer
Raya Bidshahri IranEducator and founder of Awecademy
Katie Bouman United StatesProcessed first-ever image of a black hole
Lisa Campo-Engelstein United StatesBioethicist and fertility and contraceptive researcher
Rana el Kaliouby EgyptArtificial emotional intelligence pioneer. Founder of Affectiva
Amy Karle United StatesBioartist and 3D-designer
Fei-Fei Li United StatesPioneer of artificial intelligence who encourages women and minorities to build AI.
Julie Makani TanzaniaTreatment of Sickle Cell Disease
Sarah Martins Da Silva United KingdomConsultant gynaecologist, obstetrician and fertility researcher
Susmita Mohanty IndiaSpaceship designer, entrepreneur and passionate climate action advocate
Benedicte Mundele Democratic Republic of the CongoFresh food entrepreneur and founder of Surprise Tropical
Zehra Sayers TurkeyBiophysicist and chair of the SESAME project.
Hayfa Sdiri TunisiaEntrepreneur and UN gender equality campaigner
Noor Shaker SyriaArtificial intelligence innovator
Bonita Sharma[40] NepalFounder of The Social Changemakers and Innovators
Veronique Thouvenot ChileLeader of the Zero Mothers Die initiative
Paola Villarreal MexicoComputer programmer who developed Data for Justice
Amy Webb United StatesFuturist

Leadership

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Alanoud Alsharekh KuwaitWomen's rights activist. Winner of National Order of Merit
Tabata Amaral BrazilPolitician working for education, women's rights, political innovation and sustainable futures
Dhammananda Bhikkhuni ThailandFirst female Thai Buddhist monk (bhikkhuni) and abbess of Songdhammakalyan Monastery
Mabel Bianco ArgentinaFeminist medical doctor and women's rights activist. President of the Foundation for Studies and Research on Women (FEIM)
Maria Fernanda Espinosa EcuadorFourth female president of the UN General Assembly
Sister Gerard Fernandez SingaporeRoman Catholic nun and death row counsellor
Zarifa Ghafari AfghanistanOne of Afghanistan's first female mayors; clean city advocate
Jalila Haider PakistanHuman rights lawyer and women's rights advocate
Asmaa James Sierra LeoneJournalist and women's rights activist
Ahlam Khudr SudanHuman rights protest leader
Aïssata Lam MauritaniaMicrofinance expert and women's rights advocate
Soo Jung Lee South KoreaForensic psychologist and advocate for anti-stalking bill
Gina Martin United KingdomCampaigner to make upskirting illegal in England and Wales
Van Thi Nguyen VietnamCo-founder of the Will to Live Center
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez United StatesYoungest woman elected to Congress
Onjali Q. Raúf United KingdomWriter and founder of Making Herstory
Maria Ressa PhilippinesJournalist and founder of Rappler, a website exposing fake news
Lyubov Sobol RussiaLawyer and anti-corruption activist
Samah Subay YemenLawyer supporting families whose children have 'disappeared'

Creativity

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Precious Adams United StatesBallet dancer
Manal Al Dowayan Saudi ArabiaSaudi photographer and artist
Marwa Al-Sabouni SyriaArchitect who runs only Arabic website for architectural news. Winner of the Prince Claus award
Yalitza Aparicio MexicoActress and human rights activist
Dayna Ash LebanonPoet and cultural activist
Ayah Bdeir Lebanon
 Canada
Founder of littleBits and STEM advocate
Scarlett Curtis United KingdomCo-founder of The Pink Protest
Luchita Hurtado VenezuelaArtist and environmental advocate
Aranya Johar IndiaBeat poet who writes about gender equality, mental health and body positivity
Erika Lust SwedenErotic film director, screenwriter and producer
Lauren Mahon United KingdomCancer survivor and podcaster
Lisa Mandemaker NetherlandsDesigner of prototype artificial womb
Raja Meziane AlgeriaAnti-government songs about social injustice, alleged corruption and inequality
Ashcharya Peiris Sri LankaBlind fashion designer and motivational speaker
Danit Peleg IsraelFashion designer of 3D-printed clothing
Kalista Sy SenegalScreenwriter of television series Mistress of a Married Man
Ida Vitale UruguayPoet, and fifth woman to win Cervantes Prize for lifetime writing achievement

Sport

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Jasmin Akter Bangladesh
 United Kingdom
Rohingya refugee and cricketer
Kimia Alizadeh IranFirst female Iranian Olympic medallist
Dina Asher-Smith United KingdomFastest woman in British history
Salwa Eid Naser Nigeria
 Bahrain
400m world champion runner
Bethany Firth United KingdomParalympic champion swimmer
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Jamaica100m world sprint champion
Tayla Harris AustraliaAustralian rules footballer and boxer
Huang Wensi ChinaProfessional boxer
Fiona Kolbinger GermanyFirst woman cyclist to win the Transcontinental Race
Hiyori Kon JapanSumo wrestler
Farida Osman EgyptFirst woman in Egypt to win a swimming medal
Megan Rapinoe United StatesWorld Cup winner and advocate for equality in football (soccer)
Jawahir Roble Somalia
 United Kingdom
UK's first Muslim, black, female, hijab-wearing referee[clarification needed]

Identity

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Parveena Ahanger IndiaHuman rights activist
Piera Aiello ItalyAnti-mafia politician
Rida Al Tubuly LibyaPeace campaigner
Nisha Ayub MalaysiaTransgender activist
Sinéad Burke IrelandDisability activist
Sharan Dhaliwal United KingdomWriter and advocate for mental and sexual health for young South Asians, and LGBTQ rights
Lucinda Evans South AfricaWomen's rights activist and founder of Philisa Abafazi Bethu (Heal our Women)
Owl Fisher[41] IcelandTransgender activist, journalist and writer
Hollie United StatesSex trafficking survivor
Yumi Ishikawa JapanGender discrimination campaigner and founder of KuToo movement
Subhalakshmi Nandi IndiaGender equity researcher and campaigner
Natasha Noel IndiaBody positivity influencer and Yogini
Djamila Ribeiro BrazilWriter and Afro-Brazilian women's rights advocate
Nanjira Sambuli KenyaWorld Wide Web Foundation digital equality expert
Pragati Singh IndiaDoctor running Indian Aces, an online community for asexual people
Bella Thorne United StatesActress and director
Purity Wako UgandaLife coach empowering women
Sara Wesslin FinlandSkolt Sami journalist who lobbied for government funding for Sami language teaching
Gina Zurlo United StatesExpert in religion statistics

2018

The 2018 list was announced in November 2018. The list included the 27th Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Stacey Cunningham who runs the New York Stock Exchange and Shaparak Shajarizadeh[42] who challenged the Iranian law that requires women to wear the Hijab.[43][44][45]

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription
Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin[46] NigeriaSocial impact entrepreneur
Esra'a Al ShafeiBahrain BahrainLeads not-for-profit Majal.org
Svetlana Alekseeva RussiaModel and burns survivor
Lizt Alfonso CubaDirector and choreographer, Cuba
Nimco Ali United Kingdom
Somaliland Somaliland
Wrier and FGM activist
Isabel Allende PeruAuthor
Boushra Yahya Almutawakel YemenArtist, photographer and activist
Alina Anisimova KyrgyzstanStudent programmer at Kyrgyz Girls' Space School
Frances Arnold United StatesNobel Prize winning chemical engineer
Uma Devi Badi NepalLeader of the Badi movement and member of the Provincial Assembly in Nepal
Judith Balcazar United KingdomFashion designer and co-founder of Giggle Knickers (underwear for women with urinary incontinence)
Cindy Arlette Contreras Bautista PeruLawyer who works against domestic violence as the face of the NiUnaMenos (Not One [woman] Less)
Leyla Belyanova UzbekistanAcademic and ecologist, seeking to protect Uzbekistan's birdlife and mountain ecosystems
Analia Bortz ArgentinaDoctor, rabbi and bioethicist treating women with fertility problems
Fealofani Bruun SamoaTraditional Polynesian navigator and qualified yachtmaster
Raneen Bukhari Saudi ArabiaCurator, gallery manager, and business developer
Joy Buolamwini CanadaArtificial intelligence artist and researcher
Barbara Burton United KingdomFounder and CEO of BehindBras, a charity that supports women prison leavers
Tamara Cheremnova RussiaAuthor, living with cerebral palsy
Chelsea Clinton United StatesWriter and organiser, Vice-chair of the Clinton Foundation
Stacey Cunningham United StatesNYSE President
Jenny Davidson (businesswoman) United StatesCEO of Stand Up Placer
Asha de Vos Sri LankaMarine biologist
Gabriella Di Laccio BrazilSoprano and founder of DONNE: Women in Music
Xiomara Diaz NicaraguaEntrepreneur, restaurant owner and charity founder
Noma Dumezweni United Kingdom
 Eswatini
Actor
Chidera Eggerue[46] United Kingdom"The Slumflower" blogger
Shrouk El-Attar EgyptElectronic design engineer
Nicole Evans United KingdomOnline retail sales facilitator and supporter of women who are experiencing Early menopause
Raghda Ezzeldin EgyptFree diver
Mitra Farazandeh IranArtist advocate for people with physical disabilities
Mamitu Gashe EthiopiaSenior nurse aide and fistula surgeon
Meena Gayen IndiaBusiness owner and road builder
G.E.M. (Gloria Tang Tsz-kei) [citation needed] People's Republic of China
 Hong Kong
Singer-songwriter
Fabiola Gianotti ItalyParticle physicist and director general of CERN
Julia Gillard Australia27th Prime Minister of Australia
Elena Gorolová Czech RepublicSocial worker, campaigning against forced sterilisation
Randi Heesoo Griffin United StatesOlympic ice hockey player and data scientist, advocate for equal pay for women in ice hockey
Janet Harbick CanadaAltruistic surrogate
Jessica Hayes United StatesTheology teacher and consecrated virgin
Thando Hopa South AfricaModel, lawyer and diversity and inclusion advocate
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim ChadEnvironmentalist and advocate for indigenous people and women
Reyhan Jamalova AzerbaijanEntrepreneur, founder and CEO of Rainenergy, company that collects energy from rainwater
Jameela Jamil United KingdomBritish actor who founded @i-weigh
Liz Johnson United KingdomParalympian gold medal swimmer and entrepreneur, with a recruitment agency aiming to close the disability employment gap
Lao Khang LaosRugby player and coach
Joey Mead King PhilippinesModel and television presenter
Krishna Kumari[47] PakistanWomen's rights campaigner elected to Pakistan Senate
Marie Laguerre FranceCivil engineer and architecture student, who has developed platform where women can share stories of street harassment
Veasna Chea Leth CambodiaLawyer, first woman to study law in Cambodia
Ana Graciela Sagastume López El SalvadorWomen and Femicide Special Prosecutor
Maria Corina Machado VenezuelaPolitical leader who has campaigned to safeguard democratic processes in Venezuela
Nanaia Mahuta New ZealandMinister of Maori development, first female parliamentarian to wear a Maori face tattoo
Sakdiyah Ma'ruf IndonesiaIndonesia's first female Muslim stand-up comedian
Nujeen Mustafa SyriaSyrian refugee, activist, and a campaigner on behalf of refugees with disabilities
Lisa McGee United KingdomNorthern Irish playwright and the writer and creator of Derry Girls
Kirsty McGurrell United KingdomCharity co-ordinator of 4Louis, providing memory boxes for bereaved parents of stillborn babies
Becki Meakin United KingdomGeneral manager of Shaping Our Lives, advocate for people with disabilities
Ruth Medufia GhanaFemale welder acting as role model for young women in the construction industry
Larisa Mikhaltsova UkraineAccordion music teacher who became a model at age 63
Amina J. Mohammed[46] NigeriaDeputy secretary general, United Nations
Yanar Mohammed IraqPresident of the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI)
Joseline Esteffania Velasquez Morales GuatemalaStudent and NGO co-ordinator, campaigning to end forced marriages
Robin Morgan United StatesAuthor and activist, founder of The Sisterhood is Global Institute and the Women's Media Center
Dima Nashawi SyriaArtist, clown and visual storyteller, who collects and reflects tales from Syria
Helena Ndume NamibiaOphthalmologist who has performed sight-restoring surgeries upon 35,000 Namibians, free of charge
Kelly O'Dwyer AustraliaMinister for jobs and industrial relations, and minister for women in the Australian parliament
Yuki Okoda JapanAstronomer, first person to discover a new star that could shed light on the origins of the Solar System
Olivette Otele CameroonProfessor of History at Bath Spa University, England
Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo MexicoMayor of Mexico City and Nobel Peace Prize-winning physicist
Park Soo-yeon South KoreaDigital campaigner against sex crimes
Ophelia Pastrana ColombiaComedian and media personality
Viji Palithodi IndiaActivist who founded the Penkootam women's union in Kerala
Brigitte Sossou Perenyi GhanaDocumentary producer and former Trokosi
Vicky Phelan IrelandExposed the Irish Cervical Check Screening scandal
Rahibai Soma Popere IndiaFarmer and founder of Seed Bank, India collecting indigenous seeds
Valentina Quintero [es] VenezuelaJournalist promoting tourism and the environment through television programs
Sam Ross United KingdomCatering assistant and advocate for people with Down syndrome
Fatma Samoura SenegalSecretary General of FIFA
Juliet Sargeant TanzaniaGarden designer
Sima Sarkar BangladeshFull-time mother of 18-year-old disabled child
Shaparak Shajarizadeh IranActivist against compulsory hijab rule, now in exile
Haven Shepherd VietnamSuicide bomb survivor and Paralympic hopeful
Nenney Shushaidah Binti Shamsuddin MalaysiaFemale Syariah judge
Hayat Sindi Saudi ArabiaBiotechnologist, Unesco Goodwill Ambassador for science and founder of the i2 Institute for imagination and ingenuity
Jacqueline Straub GermanyTheologian, journalist and author seeking to become a Catholic priest
Donna Strickland CanadaProfessor of Physics, University of Waterloo, Canada and winner of Nobel Prize in Physics, 2018
Kanpassorn Suriyasangpetch ThailandDentist, mental health advocate and app developer
Setsuko Takamizawa JapanLearning English to help tourists at Tokyo's 2020 Olympic Games
Nargis Taraki AfghanistanNGO legal adviser who campaigns for female empowerment
Ellen Tejle SwedenCampaigner for awareness of women's representation in film
Helen Taylor Thompson United KingdomAIDs Hospice founder
Bola Tinubu[46] NigeriaLawyer who established the first free children's helpline in Nigeria
Errollyn Wallen United Kingdom
 Belize
Opera composer and Ivor Novello Award winner
Safiya Wazir AfghanistanCommunity activist and U.S. politician
Gladys West United StatesMathematician, instrumental in developing GPS
Luo Yang People's Republic of ChinaArt photography series on Chinese girls since 2007
Maral Yazarloo-Pattrick IranFashion designer and motorcyclist
Tashi ZangmoBhutan BhutanExecutive director for the Bhutan Nuns Foundation
Jing Zhao People's Republic of ChinaEntrepreneur running online sex education network

2017

In 2017 the women on the list were part of a 100 Women Challenge, tackling some of the biggest problems facing women around the world. Coming together in four teams, the women shared their experiences and created innovative ways to tackle:[48]

  • The glass ceiling (#Teamlead)
  • Female illiteracy (#Teamread)
  • Street harassment (#Teamgo)
  • Sexism in sport (#Teamplay)

Glass ceiling team

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription[44]
Agnes Atim Apea UgandaFounder and CEO of Hope Co-ops
Amy Cuddy United StatesHarvard social psychologist and author
Elaine Welteroth United StatesEditor-in-chief of Teen Vogue
Erin Akinci United StatesData scientist
Jin Xing People's Republic of ChinaDancer, television star and business owner
Karlie Noon[49] AustraliaAstronomer
Lea Coligado United StatesSoftware engineer
Lori Nishiura Mackenzie United StatesExecutive Director of the Clayman Institute, Stanford University
Loujain Alhathloul Saudi ArabiaStudent
Maci Peterson United StatesCo-founder and CEO, On Second Thought
Mariana Feraru RomaniaCosmetician
María Teresa Ruiz ChileAstronomer
Marilyn Loden United StatesAuthor, management consultant and diversity advocate
Marina Potoker RussiaManaging director, Rockwool Russia
Melisa Marquez-RodriguezPuerto Rico Puerto RicoLead Android engineer for website builder, Weebly.com
Michelle Mone United KingdomEntrepreneur
Muhabbat Sharapova UzbekistanMaths teacher
Nana Akua Oppong Birmeh GhanaArchitect
Natalia Margolis United StatesSoftware Engineer at Huge agency
Romina Bernardo (aka Chocolate Remix) ArgentinaMusician
Roya Ramezani IranDesign strategist
Rumman Chowdhury United StatesSenior Principal at Accenture AI
Sasha Perigo United StatesStudent
Savita Devi (Drummer) IndiaDrummer
Susi Pudjiastuti IndonesiaPolitician and entrepreneur
Suzanne Doyle-Morris AustraliaAuthor and expert on gender in the workplace

Women illiteracy team

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription[44]
Aditi Avasthi IndiaEntrepreneur; Founder and CEO, Embibe
Huỳnh Thị Xậm VietnamLibrarian
Indira Rana Magar NepalFounder, Prisoner's Assistance Nepal
Ira Trivedi IndiaWriter
Maggie MacDonnell CanadaTeacher
Marieme Jamme SenegalFounder of iamtheCODE
Mehroonisa Siddiqui IndiaHomemaker
Michelle Bachelet ChilePresident of Chile
Nitya Thummalachetty IndiaDirector of Diversity, FortunaPIX
Peggy Whitson United StatesAstronaut
Priyanka Roy IndiaStudent
Sakena Yacoobi AfghanistanCEO of Afghan Institute for Learning and social entrepreneur with four private schools and one radio station.
Tulika Kiran IndiaTeacher and social worker
Urvashi Sahni IndiaFounder and CEO, Study Hall Educational Foundation
Zainab FadhalIraqStudent
Vicky Colbert ColombiaSociologist of education
Muzoon Almellehan SyriaActivist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Lin Nien-Tzu TaiwanFounder, Dharti Mata Sustainable Workshop
Frances Melanie Hardinge United KingdomAuthor
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala NigeriaEconomist
Ahlam al-Rashid SyriaTeacher and Head of the Women Empowerment Centre, northern Syria
Regina Honu GhanaSocial entrepreneur
Angeline Murimirwa ZimbabweRegional executive director, Camfed Southern & Eastern Africa
Bella Devyatkina RussiaPolyglot
Tran Thi Kim Thia VietnamLottery ticket vendor and swimming coach

Street harassment team

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription[44]
Adelle Onyango KenyaRadio presenter
Anita Nderu KenyaTelevision presenter and radio news anchor at Capital FM
Anne-Marie Imafidon United KingdomCEO & 'Head Stemette' at Stemettes
Chaima Lahsini MoroccoJournalist
Ellen Johnson SirleafLiberia LiberiaPresident of Liberia
Ellie Cosgrave United KingdomLecturer in Urban Innovation and Policy at UCL
Laura Jordan Bambach AustraliaCo-founder & Chief Creative Officer, Mr President and co-founder, SheSays
Liz Kelly United KingdomProfessor of Sexualised Violence
Maria ScorodinschiMoldova MoldovaCampaigner against domestic violence
Naomi Mwaura KenyaFounder, Flone Initiative and Communications Associate at ITDP Africa
Resham Khan United KingdomStudent
Rupi Kaur IndiaAuthor
Talent Jumo ZimbabweFounder and Director, Katswe Sistahood
Tiwa Savage NigeriaSinger-songwriter
Virali Modi IndiaDisability rights activist and youth ambassador
Leila Smith FranceArtist
Sharon Sabita Beepath Trinidad and TobagoCounsellor, Stand Against Abuse advocate
Amanda Nunez-Ferreira United StatesStudent
Somporn Khempetch[50] ThailandSocial worker and teacher
A women with curly red hair stands in front of a pink brick wall.
Tamara De Anda MexicoJournalist
Doris Muthoni Wanjira KenyaConductor
Hanne Bingle DenmarkPowerlifter and retired London Underground driver
Nihal Saad Zaghloul EgyptBusiness development officer and co-founder of Bassma
Angie Ng CanadaFounder of SlutWalk Hong Kong
Asena Melisa Saglam TurkeyStudent

Sexism in sport team

ImageNameCountry of birthDescription[44]
Adriana Behar BrazilGeneral Manager of Sport Planning for the Brazilian Olympic Committee
Ana Luiza Santos de Andrade BrazilStudent
Beatriz Vaz E Silva BrazilAthlete and Footballer
Claudianny Drika BrazilFootball coach
Fernanda Nunes BrazilOlympic rower and blogger
Grace Larsen United StatesRetired civil servant
Luiza Travassos BrazilStudent
Maira Liguori BrazilDirector of NGO, Think Olga
MC Soffia BrazilRapper
Mithali Raj IndiaCricketer
Momina Mustehsan PakistanMusician
Nadia Comaneci Romania
 United States
Olympic gymnast
Nawaal Akram QatarModel, comedian and founder of Muscular Dystrophy Qatar
Nora Tausz Ronai ItalyArchitect and teacher
Steph Houghton United KingdomFootballer
Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala Sri LankaWomen's rights activist and mountaineer
Cwengekile Nikiwe Myeni South AfricaGogo (granny) support programme manager
Helena Pacheco BrazilBusinesswoman and former football coach
Rocky Hehakaija NetherlandsDirector of Favela Street Foundation and coach
Lina Khalifeh JordanMartial arts expert
Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung VietnamFootballer
Derartu Tulu EthiopiaLong-distance runner
Shantona Rani Roy BangladeshTaekwondo athlete and activist
Hou Yifan People's Republic of ChinaChess grandmaster

2016

The 2016 theme was Defiance.[16] Part of the 100 Women festival took place in Mexico City on this year.[51] The main event took place at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, where artists like Julieta Venegas, Ángela Aguilar, Ali Gua Gua, Elis Paprika, Sofía Niño de Rivera, Ximena Sariñana, and Alexis De Anda performed live. The event also features debates with journalists Carmen Aristegui, and Denise Dresser, among others.[52] The 2016 list was published in alphabetical order, but split by category into Creative, Defiant, Influential, Pioneering and Resilient with 20 women in each stream.[53]

Creative

ImageNameNationalityDescription
Babs Forman United KingdomLondon based make-up artist who covers up skin problems
Conchi Reyes Rios SpainBullfighter
Doaa el-Adl EgyptCartoonist whose cat stories reflect the news
Dwi Handa IndonesiaInstagram fashion star
Funke Bucknor-Obruthe[54] NigeriaPlanner of glitzy and celebrity weddings
Gcina Mhlope[55] South AfricaAuthor, poet, playwright and storyteller
Heloise Letissier FranceFrench singer and songwriter known by her stage name Christine and the Queens
Isabella Springmuhl Tejada GuatemalaFashion designer
Jeanette Winterson United Kingdomnovelist
Kartika Jahja Indonesiagender-equality singer
Liv Little United KingdomEditor-in-chief at gal-dem
Mariana Costa Checa PeruBusinesswoman, founder of Laboratoria
Nadia Khiari TunisiaCreator of cartoon character 'Willis from Tunis', whose adventures reflect the news
Nadiya Hussain United KingdomWinner of reality show "The Great British Bake Off" – went on to television jobs
Nay el-Rahi LebanonJournalist, and co-founder of HarassTracker.org
Ou Xiaobai People's Republic of ChinaRelocation manager and co-developer iHomo app which links gay and lesbian people for marriages of convenience
Paula Hawkins ZimbabweWriter of the novel "The Girl on the Train"
Prathiba Parmar KenyaBritish film maker
Reham el-Hour MoroccoCartoonist who became professional after winning a UNESCO competition in 2000
Sunny Leone CanadaActress

Defiant

ImageNameNationalityDescription
Amna Suleiman PalestineTeacher andbike protester against custom that stops women cycling in Gaza
Amy Roko Saudi ArabiaComedian who became known via Instagram and Vine
Cat Hulbert United StatesProfessional gambler
Corinne Maier FranceWriter and psychoanalyst
Denise Ho[56] Canada
 Hong Kong
Singer and pro-democracy campaigner
Ieshia Evans United StatesNurse and protestor who became an icon of the Black Lives Matter movement following the publication of Taking a Stand in Baton Rouge
Iskra Lawrence United KingdomModel
Jamilah Lemieux United StatesCultural commentator, editor and columnist for Interactive One
Janet Ní Shuilleabháin IrelandFounding member, Abortion Rights Campaign
June Eric-Udorie United KingdomWriter and blogger
Lois Strong United StatesFormer college maths professor and present day cheerleader
Naema Ahmed[57] PakistanE-commerce start-up manager
Neha Singh[58] IndiaActor, writer and campaigner who encourages women to ignore harassment and reclaim the public space
Renee Rabinowitz BelgiumLawyer who sued El Al when she was asked to move as the man next to her objected to sitting beside a female
Seyhan Arman TurkeyTransgender activist and actor
Tess Asplund SwedenCare worker and anti-fascism activist caught in iconic photo resisting fascists
Viktoria Modesta LatviaBionic pop artist
Winnie Harlow CanadaModel
Yuliya Stepanova RussiaWhistle-blowing athlete
Zulaikha Patel South AfricaThirteen year-old who took stand for young girls with natural hair

Influential

ImageNameNationalityDescription
Alicia Keys United StatesSinger-songwriter
Aline Mukovi Neema Republic of the CongoStudent activist for political change
Carmen Aristegui Mexicojournalist
Egge Kande SenegalCommunity leader who advises young girls about education
Evelyn Miralles VenezuelaNASA computer engineer
Heather Rabbatts JamaicaLawyer and businesswoman. Non-executive member of the boards of Grosvenor Estates, Royal Opera House and The FA. Chief Executive of the London Borough of Lambeth
Judi Aubel United StatesSocial entrepreneur
Liliane Landor LebanonBBC journalist
Lubna Tahtamouni JordanBiology professor and science campaigner
Mallika Srinivasan[58] IndiaCEO of Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited
Maria Zakharova RussiaForeign ministry spokeswoman
Marne Levine United StatesChief Operating Officer, Instagram
Marta Vieira da Silva BrazilFootballer
Rachida Dati FrancePolitician
Rakeft Russak-AminoachRakefet Russak-Aminoach IsraelCEO, Bank Leumi
Rebecca Walker United StatesWriter and activist
Shriti Vadera UgandaBanker and economist
Simone Biles United StatesOlympic gymnast
Thuli Madonsela[55] South AfricaAdvocate who combats corruption
Zoleka Mandela South AfricaWriter – survivor of addictions, sexual abuse and cancer. Granddaughter of Nelson Mandela.

Pioneering

ImageNameNationalityDescription
Asel Sadyrova KyrgyzstanArcher
Chan Yuen-ting[56] Hong KongFootball manager
Chanira Bajracharya NepalFormer "living goddess" or Kumari
Churan Zheng People's Republic of ChinaWomen's rights activist arrested for planning protest against sexual harassment on public transportation
Cindy Meston CanadaProfessor of clinical psychology
Ellinah Ntombi Wamukoya EswatiniFirst woman to become a bishop of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa
Erin McKenney United StatesScience award winner
Gouri Chindarkar[58] IndiaComputer engineering student of the "School in the Cloud"
Jane Elliott United StatesEducator, author and anti-racism activist
Katherine Johnson United StatesSpace scientist who was a mathematician for NASA
Lhakpa Sherpa NepalMountaineer who has climbed Mount Everest seven times.
Lucy Finch MalawiPalliative care nurse and founder of Malawi's only hospice
Mary Akrami AfghanistanWomen's shelter director and founder of refuge for abused women
Megan Beveridge United Kingdom
 Scotland
First female "lone piper" at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Omotade Alalade NigeriaFounder of BeiBei Haven Foundation, helping those struggling with infertility
Sherin Khankan DenmarkImam
Shirin Gerami IranFirst "Ironwoman" triathlete in Iran
Sian Williams United Kingdom
Wales Wales
Rugby player
Stephanie Harvey CanadaProfessional e-gamer "missharvey"
Yasmine Mustafa KuwaitEntrepreneur, CEO of ROAR for Good

Resilient

ImageNameNationalityDescription
Ashwaq Moharram YemenDoctor dealing with starvation in Hudaydah
Becci Wain United KingdomHealthcare assistant and former self-harmer who challenged supermarket policy
Carolina de Oliveira Lebanon
 Syria
Actor and Mental health activist
Dalia Sabri JordanBlind music teacher
Erin Sweeny AustraliaPsychologist
Karima Baloch Pakistan
( Balochistan)
Balochistan independence campaigner; died under suspicious circumstances in 2020
Kathy Murray United StatesRelationship coach and co-author of "Surrendered Wives Empowered Women"
Khadija Ismayilova AzerbaijanJournalist
Mao Kobayashi JapanNewsreader and cancer blogger
Marta Sánchez Soler MexicoSociologist, activist and President of the Mesoamerican Migrant Movement
'Mary' KenyaSurvivor of al-Shabab rape
Mercedes Doretti ArgentinaForensic anthropologist who investigates crimes against humanity
Morena Herrera El SalvadorPhilosopher and Abortion activist
Nagira Sabashova KyrgyzstanWrestler
Natalia Ponce de Leon ColombiaHuman rights activist and acid attack victim
Pashtun Rahmat AfghanistanPolice officer
Saalumarada Thimmakka[59][58] India105-year-old environmentalist
Stephanie Yim Bell United StatesKorean-American professional wrestler, then known as Jade
Traci Houpapa New ZealandCompany director
Um-Yehia SyriaNurse

2015

The BBC News 100 Women list in 2015 was made up of many notable international names, as well as women who were unknown, but who represented issues women face. This year the list focussed on octogenarians sharing life lessons; 'good girl' film-makers discussing expectations; nursing; five high-profile women; and '30 under 30' entrepreneurs.[60]

The women of 2015, were from 51 countries and were not necessarily those who would traditionally have been seen as role models—a woman with depression, a woman who advocates for equal access to bathroom facilities, a woman who encourages other women to avoid make-up, and a reindeer nomad.[61]

The 100 Women interviews (five high-profile women)

ImageNameCountryOccupation
Fatou Bensouda GambiaChief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC)
Bobbi Brown United StatesMake-up artist and entrepreneur
Sania Mirza[62] IndiaTennis player
Hilary Swank[62] United StatesActress
Alek Wek United Kingdom
 South Sudan
Fashion model/UN ambassador

30 under 30 entrepreneurs

ImageNameCountryOccupation
Antonia Albert AustriaFounder, Careship
Victoria Alonsoperez UruguayCo-founder, ieeTECH
Paulina Arreola MexicoCEO and co-founder, Lavadero
Meryl Benitah FranceFounder, La Boite Qui Cartonne
Leimin Duong AustraliaFounder, Zeven Lemon Beerworks
Elissa Freiha United Arab Emirates
 Lebanon
Co-founder, WOMENA
Melanie Goldsmith United KingdomFounder, Smith and Sinclair
Sara Jane Ho Hong KongFounder, Institute Sarita
Samantha John United StatesCTO and co-founder of Hopscotch
Linda Kwamboka KenyaCo-founder, MFarm Ltd
Zihan Ling People's Republic of ChinaCEO and founder, TechBase
Catherine Mahugu KenyaFounder, Soko
Karabo Mathang South AfricaSouth Africa's first female Fifa-accredited soccer agent
Brit Morin United StatesCEO and founder, Brit + Co
Smriti Nagpal[17] IndiaFounder, Atulyakala
Pauline Ng SingaporeCo-founder, Porcelain
Bel Pesce BrazilFounder, FazINOVA
Elsa Prieto France
 Spain
Technical director and co-founder, Pili Pop
Cristina Randall CanadaFounder, Conekta
Claire Reid South AfricaEntrepreneur, Reel Gardening
Nikita Ridgeway AustraliaCEO and founder, Dreamtime Ink Australia
Lorrana Scarpioni BrazilFounder, Bliive
Rasha Shehada PalestineManaging director, Diamond Line FZE
Zuzanna Stańska PolandEntrepreneur, creator of DailyArt app
Michelle Sun Hong KongFounder, First Code Academy
Julie Sygiel United StatesFounder, Dear Kate
Kanika Tekriwal[17][63] IndiaCEO and founder, JetsetGo
Lizanne Teo SingaporeCo-founder, Upsurge
Jana Tepe GermanyCEO and founder, Tandemploy
Xian Xu (entrepreneur) People's Republic of ChinaCo-founder, Cuisines Sous Vide restaurant chain

'Good girl' film-makers

ImageNameCountryOccupation
Naomi Bya'Ombe Republic of the CongoStudent
Massiel Chávez VenezuelaStudent
Ayesha Ishtiaq PakistanStudent
Delaney Osborne United StatesStudent
Lubov Russkina RussiaReindeer nomad
Nour (pseudonym) SyriaRefugee

Vintage ladies (octogenarians)

ImageNameCountryOccupation
Nawal el-Sadaawi EgyptWriter
Kamini Kaushal[17] IndiaBollywood actress
Jenni Rhodes United KingdomTextile designer
Louise Schwartz (showgirl) JamaicaShowgirl and cabaret performer
Tin Tin Yu (teacher) MyanmarRetired teacher

Nurses

ImageNameCountryOccupation
Eveles Chimala MalawiMidwife
Aissa Edon France
 Mali
Midwife
Azza Jadalla PalestineNurse
Misraa Jimaa EthiopiaHealth extension worker
Tina Lavender United KingdomMidwife
Marie-Ange Zimndou Koutou Central African RepublicNurse's aide in a war zone

Further inspiration

ImageNameCountryOccupation
Nicola Adams United KingdomBoxer
Muzzon al-Mellehan SyriaActivist
Siba Alaradi SyriaStructural engineer
Sonita Alizadeh[62] AfghanistanRapper
Niloufar Ardalan IranFootballer
Masoumeh Ataei IranAcid attack survivor
Xyza Bacani PhilippinesPhotographer
Alimata Bara Burkina FasoTrader
Sana Ben Ashour TunisiaCivil society activist
Nicola Benedetti United KingdomMusician
Asha Bhosle[17] IndiaSinger
Cecilia Bouzat ArgentinaBiophysicist
Rivka Carmi IsraelGeneticist
Estela de Carlotto ArgentinaHuman rights activist
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma South AfricaPhysician and chair of the African Union Commission
Isabel dos Santos AngolaInvestor
Ernestina Edem Appiah GhanaSocial entrepreneur and founder, Ghana Code Club
Jana Elhassan LebanonNovelist
Paula Escobar ChileMagazine editor
Monir Farmanfarmaian IranArtist
Claire Fox United KingdomWriter and broadcaster
Uta Frith GermanyPsychologist
Alina Gracheva MoldovaCamerawoman
Megan Grano United StatesComedian
Alice Gray United KingdomScience blogger
Michaela Hollywood United KingdomFundraiser for disabled people
Ella Ingram (activist)[62] AustraliaActivist for mental illness anti-discrimination
Somayya Jabarti Saudi ArabiaNewspaper editor, Saudi Gazette
Tahmina Kohistani AfghanistanOlympic sprinter
Rimppi Kumari[17] IndiaFarmer
Zimasa Mabela South AfricaNaval captain
Emi Mahmoud Sudan
 United States
Poet
Amara Majeed United StatesHijab activist and author
Nemata Majeks-Walker Sierra LeoneWomen's rights activist
Katrine Marcal SwedenEconomist, writer and journalist
Muniba Mazari PakistanArtist and anchorwoman
Jessy McCabe United KingdomStudent
Verashni Pillay South AfricaNewspaper editor, Mail & Guardian
Irina Polyakova RussiaParalympian
Neyda Rojas VenezuelaNun
Rabia Salihu Said NigeriaPhysicist
Amina Sboui TunisiaWriter and women's rights activist
Patricia Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal United KingdomTrade envoy
Mumtaz Shaikh[17] IndiaHuman rights activist
Nareen Shammo IraqPolitical activist and journalist
Rotana Tarabzouni Saudi ArabiaSinger/songwriter
Li Tingting People's Republic of ChinaHuman rights activist
Sophie Walker United KingdomLeader of the Women's Equality Party

2014

The BBC News 100 Women list in 2014 continued the efforts of the first year's initiative.[64]

ImageNameCountryOccupation
SDr Yasmin Altwaijri Saudi ArabiaMental health and obesity scientist
Conchita Wurst AustriaSinger
Laura Bates United KingdomFounder, Everyday Sexism project
Pinky Lilani United KingdomFounder, Asian Women of Achievement Awards
Ruby Chakravarti IndiaWomen's rights campaigner
Susie Orbach United KingdomPsychotherapist
Pontso Mafethe ZimbabweWomen's programme manager, Comic Relief
Kate Shand United KingdomManaging director of Enjoy Education
Shappi Khorsandi United KingdomComedian
Shazia Saleem United KingdomFounder ieat Foods
Wai Wai Nu MyanmarDirector, Women Peace Net
Michaela Bergman United KingdomChief Counsellor for Social Issues, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Paula Moreno ColombiaFounder of peace foundation Manos Visibles
Rubana Huq BangladeshTextile manufacturer
Lucy-Anne Holmes United KingdomFounder, No More Page Three campaign
Brianna Stubbs United KingdomRower for Great Britain and Oxford PhD Scientist
Matilda Tristam United KingdomComics writer
Nigar Nazar PakistanCartoonist
Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy PakistanDocumentary film-maker
Uldus Bakhtiozina RussiaPhotographer
Lesley Yellowlees United KingdomFirst female president, Royal Society of Chemistry
Rebecca Gomperts NetherlandsFounder, Women on Waves
Katherine Brown United KingdomAcademic, King's College London
Emily Kasyoka KenyaBoxer, Kenya
Aowen Jin United KingdomChinese-born British artist
Eliza Rebeiro United KingdomFounder of Lives not Knives
Muge Iplikci TurkeyJournalist
Natumanya Sarah UgandaEducator
Linda Tirado United StatesCampaigner
Alice Hagan United KingdomTechnician at healthcare company BTG
May Tha Hla MyanmarFood aid social worker
Rainatou Sow GuineaFounder of Make Every Woman Count
Justa Canaviri[65] BoliviaCelebrity chef, Bolivia
Heather Jackson United KingdomWomen's business campaigner
Ruby Wax United StatesMental health campaigner and comic
Umm Ahmed IraqSole provider for her family
Xiaolu Guo People's Republic of ChinaNovelist and film-maker
Hind Hobeika LebanonFounder of Instabeat
Molly Case United KingdomStudent nurse and Women of the Future Ambassador
Joyce Banda MalawiFormer President of Malawi
Saadia Zahidi PakistanManaging Director at the World Economic Forum
Aditi Mittal IndiaStand-up comedian
Jess Butcher United KingdomCo-founder of Blippar
Farah Mohamed United StatesFounder, Girls 20 summit
Katy Tuncer United KingdomFounder, Ready Steady Mums
Smruti Sriram United KingdomFounder, Wings of Hope & Achievement Awards
Darshan Karki NepalOpinion-piece editor at Kathmandu Post daily, blogger
Brooke Magnanti United States
 United Kingdom
Anthropologist, author, former sex worker
Chipo Chung Zimbabwe
 People's Republic of China
Actor and activist
Pinar Ogunc IraqJournalist writing about women's issues and the Kurdish political movement
Sabina Kurgunayeva AzerbaijanFootballer who also runs her own bicycle rental business
Kate Wilson United KingdomFounder of independent children's book publisher, Nosy Crow
Betty Lalam UgandaDirector of women's community organisation, Gulu War Affected Training Centre
Arabella Dorman United KingdomWar artist
Andy Kawa South AfricaBusinesswoman and social entrepreneur
Bahia Shehab Lebanon
 Egypt
Artist, designer and art historian
Divya Sharma IndiaScience student
Jocelyn Bell Burnell United KingdomScientist who discovered Pulsars
Eleni Antoniadou GreeceCo-founder Transplants Without Donors
Shelina Zahra Janmohamed United KingdomBlogger, columnist and author
Salinee Tavaranan ThailandEngineer and social entrepreneur
Hatoon Kadi Saudi ArabiaComedian
Brie Rogers Lowery United KingdomDirector of Change.org
Balvinder Saund United KingdomChair of Women's Sikh Alliance
Cora Sherlock[66] IrelandPro-life campaigner and blogger
Alaa Murabit Canada
 Libya
Founder, The Voice of Libyan Women
Bushra El-Turk United Kingdom
 Lebanon
Composer for London Symphony Orchestra
Kim Winser United KingdomFounder, Winser London
Arzu Geybullayeva AzerbaijanBlogger
Judith Webb United KingdomFirst female commander of an all-male British Army squadron
Sarah Hesterman QatarEqual rights campaigner
Sana Saleem PakistanPakistani campaigner against Internet censorship
Asma Mansour TunisiaCo-founder of Tunisian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship
Diana Nammi United KingdomKurdish women's rights campaigner against "honour killing"
Funmi Iyanda NigeriaTalk show host, journalist, activist
Karen Masters United KingdomScientist at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation
Khuloud Saba SyriaResearcher and public health worker
Yolanda Wang Yixuan People's Republic of ChinaWomen's rights campaigner
Ayesha Mustafa United KingdomFounder and director of FashionComPassion.co.uk
Obiageli Ezekwesili NigeriaFormer World Bank Vice President for Africa and Former Minister for Education
Tehmina Kazi United KingdomDirector of British Muslims for Secular Democracy
Sophi Tranchell United KingdomHead of Divine Chocolate
Boghuma Kabisen Titanji CameroonVirologist and campaigner for ethical medical research
Dwi Rubiyanti Kholifah IndonesiaWomen's movement leader
Anjali Ramachandran United KingdomHead of Innovation at PHD
Yas Necati United KingdomCampaigner for better sex education
Yeonmi Park South KoreaActivist raising awareness of the plight of her people in North Korea
Irene Li Hong KongCitizen journalist who took part in and documented protests
Sandee Pyne MyanmarChief executive of Community Partners International, focused on aid
Temie Giwa Nigeria
 United States
Founder of the One Percent Project, facilitating blood donation
Kavita Krishnan IndiaSecretary, All India Progressive Women's Association
Sarah Khan PakistanFilmmaker and campaigner
Nicky Moffat United KingdomHighest Ranked woman in British Armed Forces
Alice Powell United KingdomRacing driver and first female to win a Formula Renault Championship
Misty Haith United KingdomResearch Engineer at Imperial College London
Sally Sabry EgyptBusinesswoman
Kate Smurthwaite United KingdomComedian and activist
Susana Lopez MexicoVirologist specialising in rotavirus
Jaya Luintel NepalJournalist and women's rights advocate
Nicola Sturgeon United Kingdom
 Scotland
First Minister of Scotland

2013

The 2013 event was a month-long BBC series that took place in October.[9] The series examined the role of women in the 21st century and culminated in an event held at BBC Broadcasting House in London, United Kingdom on 25 October 2013 involving a hundred women from around the world, all of whom came from different walks of life.[9] The day featured debate and discussion on radio, television and online, in which the participants were asked to give their opinions about the issues facing women.[1]

The event held on 25 October 2013 featured 100 women from all walks of life.[67]

ImageNameOccupation
Salwa Abu LibdehPalestinian television journalist
Madawi Al-RasheedSaudi academic and gender expert
Nadia Al-SakkafEditor, Yemen Times
Sreymom AngCambodian fashion designer
Anna ArrowsmithEnglish porn film director
Joyce Aoko ArugaStudent teacher in Kenya
Moe Thuzar AungMyanmar state broadcast
Rehana AzibLondon-based barrister
Firuza AliyevaAssociate Director, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy
Zainab Hawa BanguraUN special representative on sexual violence in conflict
Michaela BergmanChief Counsellor for Social Issues, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Claire BertschingerAnglo-Swiss nurse whose work inspired Live Aid
Ingrid BetancourtFrench-Colombian former politician and FARC hostage
Cherie BlairBritish barrister and philanthropist
Emma BoninoMinister of Foreign Affairs, Italy
Yvonne BrewsterStage director, teacher and writer
Gurinder ChadhaBritish-Asian film director
Nervana MahmoudEgyptian blogger and commentator
Irina ChakrabortyRussian-Finnish-Indian engineer
Shadi SadrIranian lawyer and human rights defender
Chipo ChungChinese-Zimbabwean actor and activist
Helen ClarkHead of UN Development Programme, former New Zealand Prime Minister
Diane CoyleEconomist, writer and blogger
Caroline Criado PerezBritish journalist and feminist campaigner
Jody DayFounder of Gateway Women, a network for childless women
Es DevlinBritish theatre designer
Klára DobrevHungarian lawyer and economist
Efua DorkenooGhanaian Senior Advisor to Equality Now and campaigner against female genital mutilation
Sigridur Maria EgilsdottirIceland's champion debater
Marwa El-DalyEgyptian grassroots activists, founder of the Waqfeyat Foundation
Bushra El-TurkBritish-Lebanese composer
Obiageli EzekwesiliSenior adviser, Open Society Foundations
Caroline FarrowCatholic writer, blogger and pro-life activist
Anne Stella FomumbodWomen's rights activist, Cameroon
Teresa ForcadesRadical Spanish nun
Razan GhazzawiSyrian blogger and activist
Rebecca GompertsDutch doctor, head of Women on Waves
Tanni Grey-ThompsonWinner of 11 Paralympic Games gold medals
Parveen HassanConservative women's organiser, UK
Barbara HewsonSenior barrister, UK
Anis HidayahIndonesian activist working on migrant worker rights
Deborah HopkinsBritish mother and political activist
Rose Hudson-WilkinJamaican born British priest
Bettany HughesHistorian, author, broadcaster
Rubana HuqBangladeshi textile manufacturer
Leyla HusseinCo-founder, Daughters of Eve, anti-violence campaigner
Heather Jackson (CEO)CEO of An Inspirational Journey and founder of The Women's Business Forum
Shelina Zahra JanmohamedBlogger, columnist and author
Laura Janner-KlausnerMovement rabbi, specializing in Reform Judaism
Aowen JinChinese contemporary artist
Andy KawaSouth African businesswoman, anti-violence campaigner
Tehmina KaziDirector, British Muslims for a Secular Democracy
Jude KellyArtistic Director, Southbank Centre
Fereshteh KhosroujerdyVisually impaired Iranian singer
Azadeh KianIranian academic and gender specialist
Kanya KingCEO and founder, Mobo
Fawzia KoofiMP and former Deputy Speaker, Afghan National Parliament
Dina KorzunRussian actor and charity activist
Martha Lane-FoxUK technology entrepreneur
Paris LeesTransgender broadcaster
Ann LeslieJournalist
Sian LindleyResearcher in social technology
Pontso MafetheProgramme manager, Comic Relief
Brooke MagnantiUS anthropologist, author, former sex worker
Mmasekgoa Masire-MwambaDeputy Secretary General, the Commonwealth
Shirley MeredeenFounding member, Growing Old Disgracefully
Samar Samir MezghanniRecord-breaking young Tunisian writer
Shazia MirzaBritish comedian
Aditi MittalIndian comedian
Rosmery MolloIndigenous Bolivian activist
Orzala Ashraf NematAfghan scholar and civil society activist
Pauline Neville-JonesFormer UK Security and Counter-Terrorism Minister
Susie OrbachPsychotherapist and author
Mirina PaananenIslamic researcher
Claudia Paz y PazAttorney General, Guatemala
Mariane PearlFrench journalist, founder of Chime for Change
Laura PerrinsStay-at-home mother
Charlotte RavenBritish feminist and journalist
Gail RebuckChief executive, Random House UK
Justine RobertsFounder, Mumsnet
Sarah RogersVoice of Women community radio, Sierra Leone
Fatima SaidBritish-Egyptian pro-democracy advocate
Balvinder SaundChair of Sikh Women's Alliance
Kamila ShamsieUK-based Pakistani writer
Divya SharmaIndian electronics and communications engineer
Bahia ShehabLebanese-Egyptian artist, designer and art historian
Joanna ShieldsChair and CEO, Tech City Investment Organisation
Stephanie ShirleyBusinesswoman and philanthropist
Clare ShortBritish politician, former International Development Secretary
Jacqui SmithFormer UK Home Secretary
Kate SmurthwaiteBritish stand-up comedian and activist
Rainatou SowGuinean founder, Make Every Woman Count
Louise StephensonTrainee counsellor, UK
May Tha HlaFounder, Helping The Burmese Delta
Natasha WalterBritish feminist writer and campaigner
Judith WebbFirst female commander of all-male British Army squadron
Saadia ZahidiHead of Gender Parity and Human Capital, World Economic Forum
Dinara ZhorobekovaStudent, Kyrgyzstan
Gemma GodfreyBoard director, broadcaster
Martina Navratilova18-time Grand Slam singles tennis champion

Other participants

NameOccupation
Sarah WalkerHead of the English Collective of Prostitutes[1]
Cerrie BurnellChildren's television presenter[1]
Selma JamesWriter and activist[1]

See also

References

External links