100 Women (BBC)

*100 Women*
100 Women
Status	Active
Frequency	Annually
Years active	2013–present
Inaugurated	22 October 2013
Most recent	November 2023
Website	100 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

Name	Country of birth	Description
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	Morocco	Founder of Politics4Her and gender equality campaigner
Yael Braudo-Bahat	Israel	Peace activist and co-director at Women Wage Peace
Alicia Cahuiya	Ecuador	Indigenous rights activist
Amal Clooney	Lebanon (also a citizen of the UK)	Human rights lawyer
Dehenna Davison	UK	Member of Parliament
Christiana Figueres	Costa Rica	Diplomat and climate policy negotiator with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Bella Galhos	East Timor	Political activist and LGBTQ+ rights advocate
Rina Gonoi^[19]	Japan	Former military officer and anti-sexual harassment activist
Sonia Guajajara	Brazil	State minister for native peoples and indigenous rights campaigner
Renita Holmes	USA	Housing rights campaigner
Nataša Kandić	Serbia	Lawyer and human rights activist. Founder of the Humanitarian Law Center
Rukshana Kapali	Nepal	Housing rights campaigner and transgender human rights activist
Sofia Kosachyova	Russia	Firefighter
Monica McWilliams	UK	Former politician and peace negotiator during the Good Friday Agreement talks. Co-founder of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
Najla Mohamed-Lamin	Western Sahara	Women's rights and climate activist in the Saharawi refugee camps
Ulanda Mtamba	Malawi	Campaigner against child marriage
Tamar Museridze	Georgia	Investigative journalist
Neema Namadamu	Democratic Republic of Congo	Disability rights campaigner
Michelle Obama	USA	Attorney, author and campaigner
Sepideh Rashnu^[20]	Iran	Writer and artist
Bernadette Smith	Canada	Advocate for families of missing indigenous women and girls. Co-founder of Drag the Red
Iryna Stavchuk	Ukraine	Climate policy adviser at the European Climate Foundation
Gloria Steinem	USA	Feminist leader and co-founder of Ms. magazine
Summia Tora	Afghanistan	Refugee rights campaigner
Xu Zaozao	China	Egg freezing campaigner. Advocate for single women's reproductive rights and bodily autonomy

Entertainment & Sport

Name	Country of birth	Description
Aitana Bonmatí	Spain	Footballer, winner of the Ballon d'Or and former UEFA player of the year
Antinisca Cenci	Italy	Equestrian vaulter
Andreza Delgado	Brazil	Curator and cultural manager. Co-founder of PerifaCon
Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi	Indonesia	Speed climber
America Ferrera	USA	Actor and Latino rights advocate
Anne Grall	France	Comedian
Georgia Harrison	UK	TV personality. Anti-revenge porn campaigner
Harmanpreet Kaur	India	Cricketer
Dayeon Lee	South Korea	Climate change campaigner for Kpop4Planet
Justina Miles	USA	Deaf performer
Dia Mirza	India	Actor. Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme and a board member of the Sanctuary Nature Foundation
Zandile Ndhlovu	South Africa	Freediving instructor
Alice Oseman	UK	Award-winning author, illustrator and screenwriter
Paramida	Germany	DJ and music producer
Camila Pirelli	Paraguay	Olympic heptathlete and EcoAthlete Champion
Aziza Sbaity	Lebanon	Sprinter
Khine Hnin Wai	Myanmar	Actor and activist
Bianca Williams	UK	Athlete

Culture & Education

Name	Country of birth	Description
Afroze-Numa	Pakistan	Shepherdess
Hosai Ahmadzai	Afghanistan	TV presenter on Shamshad TV
Esi Buobasa	Ghana	Fishmonger
Chila Kumari Burman	UK	Artist
Paulina Chiziane	Mozambique	Writer. Winner of the Camões Prize
Susanne Etti	Australia	Sustainable tourism expert
Licia Fertz	Italy	Anti-ageism, feminism and LGBTQ+ activist
Jannatul Ferdous	Bangladesh	Burns survivor, film-maker, writer and disability rights campaigner
Natalia Idrisova	Tajikistan	Green energy consultant
Vee Kativhu	Zimbabwe (also a citizen of the UK)	Content creator and YouTuber
Huda Kattan	USA	Founder of Huda Beauty
Sophia Kianni	USA	Student and social entrepreneur
Arati Kumar-Rao	India	Photographer
Louise Mabulo	Philippines	Farmer and entrepreneur. Recognised by the United Nations Environment Programme as a Young Champion of the Earth
Marijeta Mojašević	Montenegro	Disability rights activist
Sarah Ott	USA	School 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	Argentina	Artist, lawyer, poet, lesbian and feminist activist
Jess Pepper	UK	Founder of Climate Café and fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Matcha Phorn-in	Thailand	Campaigner for indigenous and LGBTQ+ rights
Carolina Díaz Pimentel	Peru	Journalist specialising in neurodivergence and mental health coverage
Shairbu Sagynbaeva	Kyrgyzstan	Co-founder of For Life sewing shop
Daria Serenko	Russia	Poet, writer and political activist. Member of Feminist Anti-War resistance
Kera Sherwood-O'Regan	New Zealand	Indigenous rights and disability advocate
Sagarika Sriram	United Arab Emirates	Educator and climate adviser
Clara Elizabeth Fragoso Ugarte	Mexico	Truck driver
Oksana Zabuzhko	Ukraine	Writer

Science, Health & Tech

Name	Country of birth	Description
Basima Abdulrahman	Iraq	Green building entrepreneur
Bayang	China	Diarist and sustainability advocate
Amina Al-Bish	Syria	Volunteer rescue worker with the Syria Civil Defence
Rumaitha Al Busaidi	Oman	Scientist
Sara Al-Saqqa	Palestine	General surgeon
Susan Chomba	Kenya	Scientist and director at the World Resources Institute
Leanne Cullen-Unsworth	UK	Marine scientist
Canan Dagdeviren^[22]^[23]	Turkey	Scientist and inventor
Izabela Dłużyk	Poland	Sound recordist
Marcela Fernández	Colombia	Expedition guide
Anamaría Font Villarroel	Venezuela	Particle physicist
Trần Gấm	Vietnam	Biogas business owner
Timnit Gebru	Ethiopia (citizen of USA)	AI expert
Claudia Goldin	USA	Economist and recipient of Nobel Prize in Economics
Anna Huttunen	Finland	Carbon impact tech expert
Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka	Uganda	Veterinarian 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	USA	Wildfire detection tech developer
Astrid Linder	Sweden	Professor of traffic safety
Neha Mankani	Pakistan	Midwife
Wanjira Mathai	Kenya	Environmental 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	Chile	Journalist and early menopause campaigner
Natalie Psaila	Malta	Medical doctor
Olena Rozvadovska	Ukraine	Children's rights advocate
Sumini	Indonesia	Forest manager
Fabiola Trejo	Mexico	Social psychologist
Jennifer Uchendu	Nigeria	Mental health advocate. Founder of SustyVibes
Qiyun Woo	Singapore	Storyteller 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

Name	Country of birth	Description
Maeen Al-Obaidi	Yemen	Lawyer and mediator
Fatima Amiri	Afghanistan	Student
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	Russia	Journalist. Founder of the independent media outlet Holod
Kristina Berdynskykh	Ukraine	Journalist
María Fernanda Castro Maya	Mexico	Disability rights advocate
Chanel^[25] Contos	Australia	Sexual consent activist
Eva Copa	Bolivia	Politician and mayor of El Alto of Aymara descent
Joy Ezeilo	Nigeria	Law professor and former United Nations special rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons
Ibijoke Faborode	Nigeria	Founder of ElectHER
Erika Hilton	Brazil	Politician 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 Korea	Political reformer
Zahra Joya	Afghanistan	Journalist and founder of Rukhshana Media
Ursula von der Leyen	Germany	First ever female President of the European Commission
Naomi Long	Northern Ireland (uses a UK passport)	Politician and former Lord Mayor of Belfast
Ayesha Malik	Pakistan	First female judge on the Supreme Court of Pakistan
Zara Mohammadi	Iran	Kurdish language educator
Mia Mottley	Barbados	First female Prime Minister of Barbados
Sepideh Qoliyan	Iran	Political campaigner and workers’ rights advocate
Roza Salih	Iraq (active in Scotland, UK)	Politician and member of activist group the Glasgow Girls
Simone Tebet	Brazil	Member of the Brazilian Federal Senate
Kisanet Tedros	Eritrea	Educational entrepreneur and Tigrinyan digital content creator
Cheng Yen	Taiwan	Buddhist philanthropist, founder of the Tzu Chi humanitarian organisation
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe	Iran (also a citizen of the UK)	Charity worker
Olena Zelenska	Ukraine	Incumbent First Lady, architect and screenwriter

Culture & Sport

Name	Country of birth	Description
Dima Aktaa	Syria	Refugee and parathlete
Zar Amir Ebrahimi	Iran	Actor and founder of Alambic Productions
Selma Blair	USA	Actor and multiple sclerosis awareness campaigner
Ona Carbonell	Spain	Olympic medal winning synchronised swimmer
Sarah Chan	South Sudan	NBA scout and former professional basketball player. Advocate for education and sports
Priyanka Chopra	India	Actor and producer. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, campaigning for children's rights and education for girls
Billie Eilish	USA	Singer and songwriter
Ons Jabeur	Tunisia	Tennis player
Sneha Jawale	India	Social worker
Reema Juffali	Saudi Arabia	Racing driver and founder of Theeba Motorsport
Kadri Keung	Hong Kong	Fashion designer
Miky Lee	South Korea	Producer, architect of KCON music festival and vice-chair of CJ ENM
Laura McAllister	Wales UK	Professor and former footballer. LGBTQ+ sports ambassador
Milli	Thailand	Rap artist
Rita Moreno	Puerto Rico USA	EGOT winning actor
Salima Rhadia Mukansanga	Rwanda	Football referee
Alla Pugacheva	Russia	Musician
Elnaz Rekabi	Iran	Climber, 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	Venezuela	Olympic medal winning triple jumper and LGBTQ+ rights advocate
Sally Scales	Australia	Pitjantjatjaran artist
Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah	Ghana	Writer and feminist activist
Geetanjali Shree	India	Author and winner of the International Booker Prize
Alexandra Skochilenko	Russia	Artist, imprisoned by the Russian government for protesting against the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Velia Vidal	Colombia	Writer and El Chocó cultural and education campaigner
Esraa Warda	Algeria USA	Dancer and proponent of raï, a grassroots genre historically associated with social protest

Activism & Advocacy

Name	Country of birth	Description
Lina Abu Akleh	Palestine	Human rights advocate
Velmariri Bambari	Indonesia	Activist and women's rights campaigner
Tarana Burke	USA	Activist. Started the MeToo movement.
Sanjida Islam Choya	Bangladesh	Student
Heidi Crowter	UK	Disability rights campaigner with an emphasis on Down syndrome
Sandya Eknelygoda	Sri Lanka	Human rights activist
Gohar Eshghi	Iran	Civil activist and Iranian Complainant Mother
Ceci Flores	Mexico	Activist and member of the Madres Buscadoras de Sonora collective
Geraldina Guerra Garcés	Ecuador	Women's rights and anti-femicide activist
Moud Goba	UK	Refugee and LGBTQ+ rights activist. Founding member of UK Black Pride
Women cutting their hair	Iran	Group 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	Egypt	Dentist and humanitarian
Judith Heumann	USA	Disability rights advocate
Jebina Yasmin Islam	UK	Campaigner for women's safety
Layli (pseudonym)	Iran	Protester
Hadizatou Mani	Niger	Anti-slavery campaigner
Oleksandra Matviichuk	Ukraine	Human 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	Iran	Journalist and human rights campaigner. Vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center
Tamana Zaryab Paryani	Afghanistan	Human rights activist
Alice Pataxó	Brazil	Indigenous rights activist and climate campaigner
Roya Piraei	Iran	Kurdish rights activist
Yuliia Sachuk	Ukraine	Disability rights advocate
Suvada Selimović	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Peace campaigner
Efrat Tilma	Israel	Transgender volunteer and LGBTQ+ activist
Zhou Xiaoxuan	China	Feminist activist

Health & Science

Name	Country of birth	Description
Aye Nyein Thu	Myanmar	Medical doctor
Sirisha Bandla	India	Aeronautical engineer
Victoria Baptiste	USA	Nurse and vaccine educator. WHO Goodwill Ambassador for cervical cancer elimination
Niloufar Bayani	Iran	Ecologist and programme manager at the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation
Sandy Cabrera Arteaga	Honduras	Sexual and reproductive rights advocate
Samrawit Fikru	Ethiopia	Tech entrepreneur
Wegahta Gebreyohannes Abera	Ethiopia	Humanitarian aid worker
Dilek Gürsoy	Germany	Heart surgeon
Sofía Heinonen	Argentina	Conservationist
Kimiko Hirata	Japan	Climate change activist. Recipient of Goldman Environmental Prize
Judy Kihumba	Kenya	Sign language interpreter
Marie Christina Kolo	Madagascar	Climate entrepreneur and ecofeminist
Iryna Kondratova	Ukraine	Paediatrician at the Kharkiv Regional Perinatal Centre
Asonele Kotu	South Africa	Tech entrepreneur
Erika Liriano	Dominican Republic	Cocoa entrepreneur.
Naja Lyberth	Greenland	Psychologist and trauma therapist
Nigar Marf	Iraq	Nurse
Monica Musonda	Zambia	Businesswoman and nutrition advocate
Ifeoma Ozoma	USA	Public policy and tech specialist
Yuliia Paievska	Ukraine	Paramedic and founder of Taira's Angels
Jane Rigby	USA	Astronomer and astrophysicist. Advocate for equity and inclusion in STEM
Ainura Sagyn	Kyrgyzstan	Computer engineer and ecofeminist
Monica Simpson	USA	Reproductive justice activist. Executive director of SisterSong
Maryna Viazovska	Ukraine	Mathematician. Winner of the Fields Medal
Yana Zinkevych	Ukraine	Politician, 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

Name	Country of birth	Description
Lima Aafshid	Afghanistan	Poet and writer
Oluyemi Adetiba-Orija^[27]	Nigeria	Lawyer and founder of the all-women law firm Headfort Foundation
Rada Akbar	Afghanistan	Artist
Catherine Corless	Ireland	Local historian
Pashtana Durrani	Afghanistan	Teacher, founder and executive director of Learn Afghanistan
Saeeda Etebari	Afghanistan	Jewellery designer
Sahar Fetrat	Afghanistan	Feminist activist, writer and film-maker
Melinda French Gates	United States	Philanthropist and businesswoman
Saghi Ghahraman	Iran	Poet and co-founder the Iranian Queer Organization
Angela Ghayour	Afghanistan	Teacher and founder of The Herat Online School
Najlla Habibyar	Afghanistan	Entrepreneur
Shamsia Hassani	Afghanistan	Street artist
Mugdha Kalra	India	Autism-rights activist and co-founder of Not That Different
Freshta Karim	Afghanistan	Children's-rights activist and founder of Charmaghz mobile library
Aliya Kazimy	Afghanistan	Educator
Baroness Helena Kennedy QC	United Kingdom	Director, International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute
Iman Le Caire	Egypt	Contemporary dancer, choreographer and LGBTQ+ activist. Founder, Trans Asylias
Depelsha Thomas McGruder	United States	Founder of Moms of Black Boys United, COO of the Ford Foundation
Fahima Mirzaie	Afghanistan	Whirling-dervish dancer
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie^[27]	Nigeria	Writer
Lynn Ngugi^[27]	Kenya	Journalist
Rehana Popal	Afghanistan	Barrister
*Rohila	Afghanistan	Schoolgirl
Alba Rueda	Argentina	Trans activist
Elif Shafak	France	Novelist and advocate for women's and LGBTQ+ rights
Anisa Shaheed	Afghanistan	Journalist
Mina Smallman	United Kingdom	Priest and educator
Barbara Smolińska	Poland	Founder of Reborn Sugar Babies
Adelaide Lala Tam	China	Artist and food designer
Vera Wang	United States	Fashion designer
Malala Yousafzai	Pakistan	Nobel Peace Prize laureate, co-founder of the Malala Fund and girls’ education activist

Entertainment & Sport

Name	Country of birth	Description
Halima Aden	Kenya	Humanitarian and former model. UNICEF ambassador for children's rights.
Leena Alam	Afghanistan	Actor and human-rights activist
Sevda Altunoluk	Turkey	Professional goalball player and Paralympic champion
Nilofar Bayat	Afghanistan	Wheelchair basketball player and advocate for women with disabilities
Carolina García	Argentina	Director, Netflix
Ghawgha Taban	Afghanistan	Musician
Chloé Lopes Gomes	France	Ballet dancer
Tanya Muzinda^[28]	Zimbabwe	Motocross champion
*Razma	Afghanistan	Musician
Roya Sadat	Afghanistan	Film-maker
Shogufa Safi	Afghanistan	Orchestra conductor
*Sahar	Afghanistan	Footballer
Fatima Sultani	Afghanistan	Mountaineer and martial arts expert
Nanfu Wang	China	Film-maker
Ming-Na Wen	Macau ( China)	Actor
Rebel Wilson	Australia	Actress, writer and producer

Politics & Activism

Name	Country of birth	Description
Muqadasa Ahmadzai	Afghanistan	Social and political activist. Recipient of N-Peace award
Abia Akram	Pakistan	Disability rights activist
Dr Alema	Afghanistan	Philosopher, campaigner and women's-rights advocate
Wahida Amiri	Afghanistan	Librarian and protester
Natasha Asghar	United Kingdom	Member of the Welsh Senedd
Marcelina Bautista	Mexico	Activist and union leader
Crystal Bayat	Afghanistan	Social activist and human-rights advocate
Razia Barakzai	Afghanistan	Protester
Najla El Mangoush	United Kingdom Libya	Libyan Minister of Foreign Affairs
Shila Ensandost	Afghanistan	Teacher and women's rights advocate
Fatima Gailani	Afghanistan	Peace negotiator
Momena Ibrahimi	Afghanistan	Policewoman
Hoda Khamosh	Iran	Period campaigner, poet and journalist
Elisa Loncón Antileo	Chile	President, Constitutional Convention
*Maral	Afghanistan	Campaigner
*Masouma	Afghanistan	Public prosecutor
Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa	Samoa	Prime minister of the Independent State of Samoa
Salima Mazari	Iran	Politician and former governor of Charkint district
Amanda Nguyen	United States	Social entrepreneur, civil-rights activist and founder of Rise
Basira Paigham	Afghanistan	Gender-equality and gender-minorities activist
Monica Paulus	Papua New Guinea	Campaigner against sorcery accusation-related violence
Manjula Pradeep	India	Lawyer and human-rights activist. Executive director of the Navsarjan Trust
Halima Sadaf Karimi	Afghanistan	Campaigner for women's rights, politician and former MP
Soma Sara	United Kingdom	Founder of Everyone's Invited
Mahbouba Seraj	Afghanistan	Women's and children's rights activist. Founder, Afghan Women's Network
*Ein Soe May	Myanmar	Pro-democracy activist
Piper Stege Nelson	United States	Women's-rights activist and Public Strategies Officer at The Safe Alliance
Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng^[29]	Myanmar	Catholic nun
Emma Theofelus	Namibia	Politician
Benafsha Yaqoobi	Afghanistan	Disabled rights advocate
Zala Zazai	Afghanistan	Policewoman

Science & Health

Name	Country of birth	Description
Mónica Araya	Costa Rica	Emissions-free transportation advocate
Zuhal Atmar	Afghanistan	Entrepreneur and founder of Gul-e-Mursal recycling
Jos Boys	United Kingdom	Architect
Faiza Darkhani	Afghanistan	Environmentalist and women's rights advocate
Azmina Dhrodia	Canada	Safety policy lead at Bumble
Jamila Gordon	Somalia	Chief Executive and founder of Lumachain
Laila Haidari	Pakistan	Women's rights advocate and founder of Mother Camp, drug rehabilitation centre
Zarlasht Halaimzai	Afghanistan	Co-founder and chief executive of Refugee Trauma Initiative
Nasrin Husseini	Afghanistan	Veterinarian
Amena Karimyan	Afghanistan	Astronomer
Mia Krisna Pratiwi	Indonesia	Environmentalist and eco-activist
Heidi Larson	United States	Anthropologist and Director of The Vaccine Confidence Project. Recipient of the Edinburgh Medal
Sevidzem Ernestine Leikeki	Cameroon	Climate activist
*Mahera	Afghanistan	Medical doctor
Mulu Mesfin	Ethiopia	Nurse
Mohadese Mirzaee	Afghanistan	Pilot
Tlaleng Mofokeng	South Africa	Universal health access advocate and United Nations special rapporteur on the right to health
Natalia Pasternak Taschner	Brazil	Microbiologist and science writer
*Ruksana	Afghanistan	Surgeon
Sara Wahedi	Afghanistan	Chief executive of Ehtesab
Roshanak Wardak	Afghanistan	Gynaecologist and former Member of Parliament
Yuma	Turkmenistan	Psychotherapist 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]

Image	Name	Country of birth	Description^[32]
	Unsung hero	Worldwide	Acknowledgement 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

Name	Country of birth	Description
Rina Akter	Bangladesh	Bangladeshi sex worker turned humanitarian
Sarah Al-Amiri	UAE	Chair, UAE Space Agency
Adriana Albini	Italy	Pathologist and veteran fencer
Nisreen Alwan	Iraq United Kingdom	Health and wellbeing of women through public health
Elizabeth Anionwu	United Kingdom	Sickle cell and thalassaemia nurse specialist
Diana Barran	United Kingdom	Minister for Civil Society and founder of SafeLives, a national charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse
Macinley Butson	Australia	Inventor
Fang Fang	China	Writer
Somaya Faruqi	Afghanistan	Robotics team leader
Lauren Gardner	USA	Epidemiologist
Iman Ghaleb Al-Hamli	Yemen	Manager of a women-run microgrid
Sarah Gilbert	United Kingdom	Scientist who developed one of the COVID-19 vaccines
Rebeca Gyumi	Tanzania	Lawyer and founder of girls' rights organization Msichana Initiative
Jemimah Kariuki	Kenya	Doctor and creator of the free Wheels for Life ambulance service
Safaa Kumari	Syria	Plant virologist
Ishtar Lakhani	South Africa	Feminist activist
Lucy Monaghan	United Kingdom	Campaigner against sexual violence
Douce Namwezi N'Ibamba	DRC	Social entrepreneur, journalist and activist
Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu	Uganda	Mental health programme developer
Vernetta M Nay Moberly	United States	Iñupiaq environmental activist
Sania Nishtar^[33]	Pakistan	Global health leader
Lorna Prendergast	Australia	Dementia researcher
Susana Raffalli	Venezuela	Delivering nutrition to the malnourished
Sapana Roka Magar^[34]	Nepal	Crematorium technician
Pardis Sabeti	Iran	Computational geneticist
Febfi Setyawati	Indonesia	Activist, founder of Untukteman.id
Ruth Shady	Peru	Archaeologist
Kathy Sullivan	United States	Scientist and astronaut
Rima Sultana Rimu	Bangladesh	Teacher and humanitarian activist working with Rohingya refugees
Anastasia Volkova	Ukraine	Agricultural innovator. Founder of FluroSat
Siouxsie Wiles^[35]	UK	Scientist and public health communicator
Yee-Sin Leo	Singapore	Doctor and research leader

Leadership

Name	Country of birth	Description
Loza Abera Geinore	Ethiopia	Association footballer
Christina Adane	Netherlands	Campaigner against injustices of food system (free school meals)
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr	Sierra Leone	Mayor of Freetown
Ubah Ali	Somaliland	Advocate against female genital mutilation
Nadeen Ashraf	Egypt	Advocate against sexual harassment
Bilkis Dadi	India	Protest leader
Evelina Cabrera	Argentina	Football coach and manager.
Carolina Castro	Argentina	Advocate for gender equality
Agnes Chow	Hong Kong	Pro-democracy activist
Naomi Dickson	UK	Advocate for Jewish women and children suffering from domestic abuse
Ilwad Elman	Somalia	Peace activist
Jeong Eun-kyeong	South Korea	Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency commissioner, led COVID-19 response
Maggie Gobran	Egypt	Coptic nun and child welfare advocate
Deta Hedman	Jamaica	Darts champion
Manasi Joshi	India	Para-badminton champion
Salsabila Khairunnisa	Indonesia	Environmental campaigner and School Strike for Climate leader
Claudia López Hernández	Colombia	Mayor of Bogotá
Sanna Marin	Finland	Prime Minister of Finland
Vanessa Nakate	Uganda	Climate activist
Nemonte Nenquimo	Ecuador	Waorani activist
Phyllis Omido	Kenya	Environmental activist. Winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize
Ridhima Pandey	India	Climate activist
Oksana Pushkina	Russia	Politician, member of the State Duma
Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul	Thailand	Student activist
Nasrin Sotoudeh	Iran	Lawyer and human rights activist
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya	Belarus	Exiled Belarus politician
Arussi Unda	Mexico	Campaigner against femicide
Aisha Yesufu^[36]	Nigeria	Activist, co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign
Gulnaz Zhuzbaeva	Kyrgyzstan	Disability activist

Creativity

Name	Country of birth	Description
Houda Abouz^[37]	Morocco	Rapper, women's rights and gender equality advocate
Waad al-Kateab	Syria	Activist, journalist and filmmaker
Tsitsi Dangarembga	Zimbabwe	Novelist and filmmaker
Karen Dolva	Norway	Chief executive and co-founder of No Isolation
Jane Fonda	United States	Actor and social activist
Kiran Gandhi	United States	Singer, musician, and gender liberation activist
Miho Imada	Japan	Master sake brewer
Isaivani	India	Gaana singer and political campaigner
Nadine Kaadan	France	Children's author and illustrator
Mulenga Kapwepwe	Zambia	Artist and co-founder of the Zambian Women's History Museum
Jackie Kay	United Kingdom	Playwright, novelist and national poet of Scotland
Mahira Khan^[33]	Pakistan	Actor and activist and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
Angélique Kidjo	Benin	Musician and UNICEF ambassador
Chu Kim Duc	Vietnam	Architect and child welfare activist
Zahara^[38]	South Africa	Singer songwriter
Nandar	Myanmar	Feminist activist
Ana Tijoux	France	Chilean hip hop protester
Yulia Tsvetkova	Russia	Activist, political prisoner
Kotchakorn Voraakhom	Thailand	Landscape architect
Elin Williams	United Kingdom	Disability rights activist
Michelle Yeoh	Malaysia	Actor and UN goodwill ambassador

Identity

Name	Country of birth	Description
Muyesser Abdul'ehed (AKA Hendan)	China	Uyghur writer and language activist
Erica Baker	Germany	Software engineer
Cindy Bishop	Thailand	UN goodwill ambassador and model
Wendy Beatriz Caishpal Jaco	El Salvador	Advocate for the rights of disabled people
Patrisse Cullors	USA	Human rights activist. Co-founder and executive director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
Shani Dhanda	UK	Disability activist
Eileen Flynn	Ireland	Senator and social activist
Alicia Garza	USA	Human rights activist. Co-creator of Black Lives Matter and the Black Lives Matter Global Network
Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim^[36]	Nigeria	LGBTQ film director and activist
Gülsüm Kav	Turkey	Doctor, activist, co-founder of We Will Stop Femicide
Josina Machel	Mozambique	Human rights activist
Hayat Mirshad	Lebanon	Feminist activist, journalist, co-founder of Fe-Male collective
Laleh Osmany	Afghanistan	Women's rights activist and founder of #WhereIsMyName campaign
Cibele Racy	Brazil	Teacher, racial equality activist
Lea T	Brazil	Transgender rights advocate and model
Ayu (Opal) Tometi	USA	Human rights activist. Co-founder of Black Lives Matter
Alice Wong	United States	Disability 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

Name	Country of birth	Description
Judith Bakirya	Uganda	Organic farmer and women's rights activist
Ella Daish	United Kingdom	Environmentalist and anti-plastic campaigner
Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman	United States	Urban anthropologist and co-founder of The Women Led Cities Initiative
Gada Kadoda	Sudan	Founder of the Sudanese Knowledge Society and trainer of community engineers
Jamie Margolin	United States	Climate change activist and co-founder of Zero Hour movement
Francia Márquez	Colombia	Afro-Colombian environmentalist and leader of a 10-day, 350-mile women's march. Winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize
Trang Nguyen	Vietnam	Wildlife conservationist and founder of WildAct
Autumn Peltier	Canada	Clean water advocate
Swietenia Puspa Lestari	Indonesia	Founder of the Divers Clean Action Foundation and anti-straw campaigner
Charlene Ren	China	Clean water advocate, creator of MyH2O
Najat Saliba	Lebanon	Air pollution researcher and chemistry professor
Vandana Shiva	India	Environmental leader and winner of the Alternative Nobel Peace Prize
Greta Thunberg	Sweden	Climate change activist
Marilyn Waring	New Zealand	Feminist economist and environmental activist

Knowledge

Name	Country of birth	Description
MiMi Aung	United States	NASA project manager and engineer
Raya Bidshahri	Iran	Educator and founder of Awecademy
Katie Bouman	United States	Processed first-ever image of a black hole
Lisa Campo-Engelstein	United States	Bioethicist and fertility and contraceptive researcher
Rana el Kaliouby	Egypt	Artificial emotional intelligence pioneer. Founder of Affectiva
Amy Karle	United States	Bioartist and 3D-designer
Fei-Fei Li	United States	Pioneer of artificial intelligence who encourages women and minorities to build AI.
Julie Makani	Tanzania	Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease
Sarah Martins Da Silva	United Kingdom	Consultant gynaecologist, obstetrician and fertility researcher
Susmita Mohanty	India	Spaceship designer, entrepreneur and passionate climate action advocate
Benedicte Mundele	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Fresh food entrepreneur and founder of Surprise Tropical
Zehra Sayers	Turkey	Biophysicist and chair of the SESAME project.
Hayfa Sdiri	Tunisia	Entrepreneur and UN gender equality campaigner
Noor Shaker	Syria	Artificial intelligence innovator
Bonita Sharma^[40]	Nepal	Founder of The Social Changemakers and Innovators
Veronique Thouvenot	Chile	Leader of the Zero Mothers Die initiative
Paola Villarreal	Mexico	Computer programmer who developed Data for Justice
Amy Webb	United States	Futurist

Leadership

Name	Country of birth	Description
Alanoud Alsharekh	Kuwait	Women's rights activist. Winner of National Order of Merit
Tabata Amaral	Brazil	Politician working for education, women's rights, political innovation and sustainable futures
Dhammananda Bhikkhuni	Thailand	First female Thai Buddhist monk (bhikkhuni) and abbess of Songdhammakalyan Monastery
Mabel Bianco	Argentina	Feminist medical doctor and women's rights activist. President of the Foundation for Studies and Research on Women (FEIM)
Maria Fernanda Espinosa	Ecuador	Fourth female president of the UN General Assembly
Sister Gerard Fernandez	Singapore	Roman Catholic nun and death row counsellor
Zarifa Ghafari	Afghanistan	One of Afghanistan's first female mayors; clean city advocate
Jalila Haider	Pakistan	Human rights lawyer and women's rights advocate
Asmaa James	Sierra Leone	Journalist and women's rights activist
Ahlam Khudr	Sudan	Human rights protest leader
Aïssata Lam	Mauritania	Microfinance expert and women's rights advocate
Soo Jung Lee	South Korea	Forensic psychologist and advocate for anti-stalking bill
Gina Martin	United Kingdom	Campaigner to make upskirting illegal in England and Wales
Van Thi Nguyen	Vietnam	Co-founder of the Will to Live Center
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez	United States	Youngest woman elected to Congress
Onjali Q. Raúf	United Kingdom	Writer and founder of Making Herstory
Maria Ressa	Philippines	Journalist and founder of Rappler, a website exposing fake news
Lyubov Sobol	Russia	Lawyer and anti-corruption activist
Samah Subay	Yemen	Lawyer supporting families whose children have 'disappeared'

Creativity

Name	Country of birth	Description
Precious Adams	United States	Ballet dancer
Manal Al Dowayan	Saudi Arabia	Saudi photographer and artist
Marwa Al-Sabouni	Syria	Architect who runs only Arabic website for architectural news. Winner of the Prince Claus award
Yalitza Aparicio	Mexico	Actress and human rights activist
Dayna Ash	Lebanon	Poet and cultural activist
Ayah Bdeir	Lebanon Canada	Founder of littleBits and STEM advocate
Scarlett Curtis	United Kingdom	Co-founder of The Pink Protest
Luchita Hurtado	Venezuela	Artist and environmental advocate
Aranya Johar	India	Beat poet who writes about gender equality, mental health and body positivity
Erika Lust	Sweden	Erotic film director, screenwriter and producer
Lauren Mahon	United Kingdom	Cancer survivor and podcaster
Lisa Mandemaker	Netherlands	Designer of prototype artificial womb
Raja Meziane	Algeria	Anti-government songs about social injustice, alleged corruption and inequality
Ashcharya Peiris	Sri Lanka	Blind fashion designer and motivational speaker
Danit Peleg	Israel	Fashion designer of 3D-printed clothing
Kalista Sy	Senegal	Screenwriter of television series Mistress of a Married Man
Ida Vitale	Uruguay	Poet, and fifth woman to win Cervantes Prize for lifetime writing achievement

Sport

Name	Country of birth	Description
Jasmin Akter	Bangladesh United Kingdom	Rohingya refugee and cricketer
Kimia Alizadeh	Iran	First female Iranian Olympic medallist
Dina Asher-Smith	United Kingdom	Fastest woman in British history
Salwa Eid Naser	Nigeria Bahrain	400m world champion runner
Bethany Firth	United Kingdom	Paralympic champion swimmer
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce	Jamaica	100m world sprint champion
Tayla Harris	Australia	Australian rules footballer and boxer
Huang Wensi	China	Professional boxer
Fiona Kolbinger	Germany	First woman cyclist to win the Transcontinental Race
Hiyori Kon	Japan	Sumo wrestler
Farida Osman	Egypt	First woman in Egypt to win a swimming medal
Megan Rapinoe	United States	World 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

Name	Country of birth	Description
Parveena Ahanger	India	Human rights activist
Piera Aiello	Italy	Anti-mafia politician
Rida Al Tubuly	Libya	Peace campaigner
Nisha Ayub	Malaysia	Transgender activist
Sinéad Burke	Ireland	Disability activist
Sharan Dhaliwal	United Kingdom	Writer and advocate for mental and sexual health for young South Asians, and LGBTQ rights
Lucinda Evans	South Africa	Women's rights activist and founder of Philisa Abafazi Bethu (Heal our Women)
Owl Fisher^[41]	Iceland	Transgender activist, journalist and writer
Hollie	United States	Sex trafficking survivor
Yumi Ishikawa	Japan	Gender discrimination campaigner and founder of KuToo movement
Subhalakshmi Nandi	India	Gender equity researcher and campaigner
Natasha Noel	India	Body positivity influencer and Yogini
Djamila Ribeiro	Brazil	Writer and Afro-Brazilian women's rights advocate
Nanjira Sambuli	Kenya	World Wide Web Foundation digital equality expert
Pragati Singh	India	Doctor running Indian Aces, an online community for asexual people
Bella Thorne	United States	Actress and director
Purity Wako	Uganda	Life coach empowering women
Sara Wesslin	Finland	Skolt Sami journalist who lobbied for government funding for Sami language teaching
Gina Zurlo	United States	Expert 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]

Name	Country of birth	Description
Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin^[46]	Nigeria	Social impact entrepreneur
Esra'a Al Shafei	Bahrain	Leads not-for-profit Majal.org
Svetlana Alekseeva	Russia	Model and burns survivor
Lizt Alfonso	Cuba	Director and choreographer, Cuba
Nimco Ali	United Kingdom Somaliland	Wrier and FGM activist
Isabel Allende	Peru	Author
Boushra Yahya Almutawakel	Yemen	Artist, photographer and activist
Alina Anisimova	Kyrgyzstan	Student programmer at Kyrgyz Girls' Space School
Frances Arnold	United States	Nobel Prize winning chemical engineer
Uma Devi Badi	Nepal	Leader of the Badi movement and member of the Provincial Assembly in Nepal
Judith Balcazar	United Kingdom	Fashion designer and co-founder of Giggle Knickers (underwear for women with urinary incontinence)
Cindy Arlette Contreras Bautista	Peru	Lawyer who works against domestic violence as the face of the NiUnaMenos (Not One [woman] Less)
Leyla Belyanova	Uzbekistan	Academic and ecologist, seeking to protect Uzbekistan's birdlife and mountain ecosystems
Analia Bortz	Argentina	Doctor, rabbi and bioethicist treating women with fertility problems
Fealofani Bruun	Samoa	Traditional Polynesian navigator and qualified yachtmaster
Raneen Bukhari	Saudi Arabia	Curator, gallery manager, and business developer
Joy Buolamwini	Canada	Artificial intelligence artist and researcher
Barbara Burton	United Kingdom	Founder and CEO of BehindBras, a charity that supports women prison leavers
Tamara Cheremnova	Russia	Author, living with cerebral palsy
Chelsea Clinton	United States	Writer and organiser, Vice-chair of the Clinton Foundation
Stacey Cunningham	United States	NYSE President
Jenny Davidson (businesswoman)	United States	CEO of Stand Up Placer
Asha de Vos	Sri Lanka	Marine biologist
Gabriella Di Laccio	Brazil	Soprano and founder of DONNE: Women in Music
Xiomara Diaz	Nicaragua	Entrepreneur, restaurant owner and charity founder
Noma Dumezweni	United Kingdom Eswatini	Actor
Chidera Eggerue^[46]	United Kingdom	"The Slumflower" blogger
Shrouk El-Attar	Egypt	Electronic design engineer
Nicole Evans	United Kingdom	Online retail sales facilitator and supporter of women who are experiencing Early menopause
Raghda Ezzeldin	Egypt	Free diver
Mitra Farazandeh	Iran	Artist advocate for people with physical disabilities
Mamitu Gashe	Ethiopia	Senior nurse aide and fistula surgeon
Meena Gayen	India	Business owner and road builder
G.E.M. (Gloria Tang Tsz-kei) ^{[citation needed]}	People's Republic of China Hong Kong	Singer-songwriter
Fabiola Gianotti	Italy	Particle physicist and director general of CERN
Julia Gillard	Australia	27th Prime Minister of Australia
Elena Gorolová	Czech Republic	Social worker, campaigning against forced sterilisation
Randi Heesoo Griffin	United States	Olympic ice hockey player and data scientist, advocate for equal pay for women in ice hockey
Janet Harbick	Canada	Altruistic surrogate
Jessica Hayes	United States	Theology teacher and consecrated virgin
Thando Hopa	South Africa	Model, lawyer and diversity and inclusion advocate
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim	Chad	Environmentalist and advocate for indigenous people and women
Reyhan Jamalova	Azerbaijan	Entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Rainenergy, company that collects energy from rainwater
Jameela Jamil	United Kingdom	British actor who founded @i-weigh
Liz Johnson	United Kingdom	Paralympian gold medal swimmer and entrepreneur, with a recruitment agency aiming to close the disability employment gap
Lao Khang	Laos	Rugby player and coach
Joey Mead King	Philippines	Model and television presenter
Krishna Kumari^[47]	Pakistan	Women's rights campaigner elected to Pakistan Senate
Marie Laguerre	France	Civil engineer and architecture student, who has developed platform where women can share stories of street harassment
Veasna Chea Leth	Cambodia	Lawyer, first woman to study law in Cambodia
Ana Graciela Sagastume López	El Salvador	Women and Femicide Special Prosecutor
Maria Corina Machado	Venezuela	Political leader who has campaigned to safeguard democratic processes in Venezuela
Nanaia Mahuta	New Zealand	Minister of Maori development, first female parliamentarian to wear a Maori face tattoo
Sakdiyah Ma'ruf	Indonesia	Indonesia's first female Muslim stand-up comedian
Nujeen Mustafa	Syria	Syrian refugee, activist, and a campaigner on behalf of refugees with disabilities
Lisa McGee	United Kingdom	Northern Irish playwright and the writer and creator of Derry Girls
Kirsty McGurrell	United Kingdom	Charity co-ordinator of 4Louis, providing memory boxes for bereaved parents of stillborn babies
Becki Meakin	United Kingdom	General manager of Shaping Our Lives, advocate for people with disabilities
Ruth Medufia	Ghana	Female welder acting as role model for young women in the construction industry
Larisa Mikhaltsova	Ukraine	Accordion music teacher who became a model at age 63
Amina J. Mohammed^[46]	Nigeria	Deputy secretary general, United Nations
Yanar Mohammed	Iraq	President of the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI)
Joseline Esteffania Velasquez Morales	Guatemala	Student and NGO co-ordinator, campaigning to end forced marriages
Robin Morgan	United States	Author and activist, founder of The Sisterhood is Global Institute and the Women's Media Center
Dima Nashawi	Syria	Artist, clown and visual storyteller, who collects and reflects tales from Syria
Helena Ndume	Namibia	Ophthalmologist who has performed sight-restoring surgeries upon 35,000 Namibians, free of charge
Kelly O'Dwyer	Australia	Minister for jobs and industrial relations, and minister for women in the Australian parliament
Yuki Okoda	Japan	Astronomer, first person to discover a new star that could shed light on the origins of the Solar System
Olivette Otele	Cameroon	Professor of History at Bath Spa University, England
Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo	Mexico	Mayor of Mexico City and Nobel Peace Prize-winning physicist
Park Soo-yeon	South Korea	Digital campaigner against sex crimes
Ophelia Pastrana	Colombia	Comedian and media personality
Viji Palithodi	India	Activist who founded the Penkootam women's union in Kerala
Brigitte Sossou Perenyi	Ghana	Documentary producer and former Trokosi
Vicky Phelan	Ireland	Exposed the Irish Cervical Check Screening scandal
Rahibai Soma Popere	India	Farmer and founder of Seed Bank, India collecting indigenous seeds
Valentina Quintero	Venezuela	Journalist promoting tourism and the environment through television programs
Sam Ross	United Kingdom	Catering assistant and advocate for people with Down syndrome
Fatma Samoura	Senegal	Secretary General of FIFA
Juliet Sargeant	Tanzania	Garden designer
Sima Sarkar	Bangladesh	Full-time mother of 18-year-old disabled child
Shaparak Shajarizadeh	Iran	Activist against compulsory hijab rule, now in exile
Haven Shepherd	Vietnam	Suicide bomb survivor and Paralympic hopeful
Nenney Shushaidah Binti Shamsuddin	Malaysia	Female Syariah judge
Hayat Sindi	Saudi Arabia	Biotechnologist, Unesco Goodwill Ambassador for science and founder of the i2 Institute for imagination and ingenuity
Jacqueline Straub	Germany	Theologian, journalist and author seeking to become a Catholic priest
Donna Strickland	Canada	Professor of Physics, University of Waterloo, Canada and winner of Nobel Prize in Physics, 2018
Kanpassorn Suriyasangpetch	Thailand	Dentist, mental health advocate and app developer
Setsuko Takamizawa	Japan	Learning English to help tourists at Tokyo's 2020 Olympic Games
Nargis Taraki	Afghanistan	NGO legal adviser who campaigns for female empowerment
Ellen Tejle	Sweden	Campaigner for awareness of women's representation in film
Helen Taylor Thompson	United Kingdom	AIDs Hospice founder
Bola Tinubu^[46]	Nigeria	Lawyer who established the first free children's helpline in Nigeria
Errollyn Wallen	United Kingdom Belize	Opera composer and Ivor Novello Award winner
Safiya Wazir	Afghanistan	Community activist and U.S. politician
Gladys West	United States	Mathematician, instrumental in developing GPS
Luo Yang	People's Republic of China	Art photography series on Chinese girls since 2007
Maral Yazarloo-Pattrick	Iran	Fashion designer and motorcyclist
Tashi Zangmo	Bhutan	Executive director for the Bhutan Nuns Foundation
Jing Zhao	People's Republic of China	Entrepreneur 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

Name	Country of birth	Description^[44]
Agnes Atim Apea	Uganda	Founder and CEO of Hope Co-ops
Amy Cuddy	United States	Harvard social psychologist and author
Elaine Welteroth	United States	Editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue
Erin Akinci	United States	Data scientist
Jin Xing	People's Republic of China	Dancer, television star and business owner
Karlie Noon^[49]	Australia	Astronomer
Lea Coligado	United States	Software engineer
Lori Nishiura Mackenzie	United States	Executive Director of the Clayman Institute, Stanford University
Loujain Alhathloul	Saudi Arabia	Student
Maci Peterson	United States	Co-founder and CEO, On Second Thought
Mariana Feraru	Romania	Cosmetician
María Teresa Ruiz	Chile	Astronomer
Marilyn Loden	United States	Author, management consultant and diversity advocate
Marina Potoker	Russia	Managing director, Rockwool Russia
Melisa Marquez-Rodriguez	Puerto Rico	Lead Android engineer for website builder, Weebly.com
Michelle Mone	United Kingdom	Entrepreneur
Muhabbat Sharapova	Uzbekistan	Maths teacher
Nana Akua Oppong Birmeh	Ghana	Architect
Natalia Margolis	United States	Software Engineer at Huge agency
Romina Bernardo (aka Chocolate Remix)	Argentina	Musician
Roya Ramezani	Iran	Design strategist
Rumman Chowdhury	United States	Senior Principal at Accenture AI
Sasha Perigo	United States	Student
Savita Devi (Drummer)	India	Drummer
Susi Pudjiastuti	Indonesia	Politician and entrepreneur
Suzanne Doyle-Morris	Australia	Author and expert on gender in the workplace

Women illiteracy team

Name	Country of birth	Description^[44]
Aditi Avasthi	India	Entrepreneur; Founder and CEO, Embibe
Huỳnh Thị Xậm	Vietnam	Librarian
Indira Rana Magar	Nepal	Founder, Prisoner's Assistance Nepal
Ira Trivedi	India	Writer
Maggie MacDonnell	Canada	Teacher
Marieme Jamme	Senegal	Founder of iamtheCODE
Mehroonisa Siddiqui	India	Homemaker
Michelle Bachelet	Chile	President of Chile
Nitya Thummalachetty	India	Director of Diversity, FortunaPIX
Peggy Whitson	United States	Astronaut
Priyanka Roy	India	Student
Sakena Yacoobi	Afghanistan	CEO of Afghan Institute for Learning and social entrepreneur with four private schools and one radio station.
Tulika Kiran	India	Teacher and social worker
Urvashi Sahni	India	Founder and CEO, Study Hall Educational Foundation
Zainab Fadhal	Iraq	Student
Vicky Colbert	Colombia	Sociologist of education
Muzoon Almellehan	Syria	Activist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Lin Nien-Tzu	Taiwan	Founder, Dharti Mata Sustainable Workshop
Frances Melanie Hardinge	United Kingdom	Author
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala	Nigeria	Economist
Ahlam al-Rashid	Syria	Teacher and Head of the Women Empowerment Centre, northern Syria
Regina Honu	Ghana	Social entrepreneur
Angeline Murimirwa	Zimbabwe	Regional executive director, Camfed Southern & Eastern Africa
Bella Devyatkina	Russia	Polyglot
Tran Thi Kim Thia	Vietnam	Lottery ticket vendor and swimming coach

Street harassment team

Name	Country of birth	Description^[44]
Adelle Onyango	Kenya	Radio presenter
Anita Nderu	Kenya	Television presenter and radio news anchor at Capital FM
Anne-Marie Imafidon	United Kingdom	CEO & 'Head Stemette' at Stemettes
Chaima Lahsini	Morocco	Journalist
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf	Liberia	President of Liberia
Ellie Cosgrave	United Kingdom	Lecturer in Urban Innovation and Policy at UCL
Laura Jordan Bambach	Australia	Co-founder & Chief Creative Officer, Mr President and co-founder, SheSays
Liz Kelly	United Kingdom	Professor of Sexualised Violence
Maria Scorodinschi	Moldova	Campaigner against domestic violence
Naomi Mwaura	Kenya	Founder, Flone Initiative and Communications Associate at ITDP Africa
Resham Khan	United Kingdom	Student
Rupi Kaur	India	Author
Talent Jumo	Zimbabwe	Founder and Director, Katswe Sistahood
Tiwa Savage	Nigeria	Singer-songwriter
Virali Modi	India	Disability rights activist and youth ambassador
Leila Smith	France	Artist
Sharon Sabita Beepath	Trinidad and Tobago	Counsellor, Stand Against Abuse advocate
Amanda Nunez-Ferreira	United States	Student
Somporn Khempetch^[50]	Thailand	Social worker and teacher
Tamara De Anda	Mexico	Journalist
Doris Muthoni Wanjira	Kenya	Conductor
Hanne Bingle	Denmark	Powerlifter and retired London Underground driver
Nihal Saad Zaghloul	Egypt	Business development officer and co-founder of Bassma
Angie Ng	Canada	Founder of SlutWalk Hong Kong
Asena Melisa Saglam	Turkey	Student

Sexism in sport team

Name	Country of birth	Description^[44]
Adriana Behar	Brazil	General Manager of Sport Planning for the Brazilian Olympic Committee
Ana Luiza Santos de Andrade	Brazil	Student
Beatriz Vaz E Silva	Brazil	Athlete and Footballer
Claudianny Drika	Brazil	Football coach
Fernanda Nunes	Brazil	Olympic rower and blogger
Grace Larsen	United States	Retired civil servant
Luiza Travassos	Brazil	Student
Maira Liguori	Brazil	Director of NGO, Think Olga
MC Soffia	Brazil	Rapper
Mithali Raj	India	Cricketer
Momina Mustehsan	Pakistan	Musician
Nadia Comaneci	Romania United States	Olympic gymnast
Nawaal Akram	Qatar	Model, comedian and founder of Muscular Dystrophy Qatar
Nora Tausz Ronai	Italy	Architect and teacher
Steph Houghton	United Kingdom	Footballer
Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala	Sri Lanka	Women's rights activist and mountaineer
Cwengekile Nikiwe Myeni	South Africa	Gogo (granny) support programme manager
Helena Pacheco	Brazil	Businesswoman and former football coach
Rocky Hehakaija	Netherlands	Director of Favela Street Foundation and coach
Lina Khalifeh	Jordan	Martial arts expert
Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung	Vietnam	Footballer
Derartu Tulu	Ethiopia	Long-distance runner
Shantona Rani Roy	Bangladesh	Taekwondo athlete and activist
Hou Yifan	People's Republic of China	Chess 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

Name	Nationality	Description
Babs Forman	United Kingdom	London based make-up artist who covers up skin problems
Conchi Reyes Rios	Spain	Bullfighter
Doaa el-Adl	Egypt	Cartoonist whose cat stories reflect the news
Dwi Handa	Indonesia	Instagram fashion star
Funke Bucknor-Obruthe^[54]	Nigeria	Planner of glitzy and celebrity weddings
Gcina Mhlope^[55]	South Africa	Author, poet, playwright and storyteller
Heloise Letissier	France	French singer and songwriter known by her stage name Christine and the Queens
Isabella Springmuhl Tejada	Guatemala	Fashion designer
Jeanette Winterson	United Kingdom	novelist
Kartika Jahja	Indonesia	gender-equality singer
Liv Little	United Kingdom	Editor-in-chief at gal-dem
Mariana Costa Checa	Peru	Businesswoman, founder of Laboratoria
Nadia Khiari	Tunisia	Creator of cartoon character 'Willis from Tunis', whose adventures reflect the news
Nadiya Hussain	United Kingdom	Winner of reality show "The Great British Bake Off" – went on to television jobs
Nay el-Rahi	Lebanon	Journalist, and co-founder of HarassTracker.org
Ou Xiaobai	People's Republic of China	Relocation manager and co-developer iHomo app which links gay and lesbian people for marriages of convenience
Paula Hawkins	Zimbabwe	Writer of the novel "The Girl on the Train"
Prathiba Parmar	Kenya	British film maker
Reham el-Hour	Morocco	Cartoonist who became professional after winning a UNESCO competition in 2000
Sunny Leone	Canada	Actress

Defiant

Name	Nationality	Description
Amna Suleiman	Palestine	Teacher andbike protester against custom that stops women cycling in Gaza
Amy Roko	Saudi Arabia	Comedian who became known via Instagram and Vine
Cat Hulbert	United States	Professional gambler
Corinne Maier	France	Writer and psychoanalyst
Denise Ho^[56]	Canada Hong Kong	Singer and pro-democracy campaigner
Ieshia Evans	United States	Nurse 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 Kingdom	Model
Jamilah Lemieux	United States	Cultural commentator, editor and columnist for Interactive One
Janet Ní Shuilleabháin	Ireland	Founding member, Abortion Rights Campaign
June Eric-Udorie	United Kingdom	Writer and blogger
Lois Strong	United States	Former college maths professor and present day cheerleader
Naema Ahmed^[57]	Pakistan	E-commerce start-up manager
Neha Singh^[58]	India	Actor, writer and campaigner who encourages women to ignore harassment and reclaim the public space
Renee Rabinowitz	Belgium	Lawyer who sued El Al when she was asked to move as the man next to her objected to sitting beside a female
Seyhan Arman	Turkey	Transgender activist and actor
Tess Asplund	Sweden	Care worker and anti-fascism activist caught in iconic photo resisting fascists
Viktoria Modesta	Latvia	Bionic pop artist
Winnie Harlow	Canada	Model
Yuliya Stepanova	Russia	Whistle-blowing athlete
Zulaikha Patel	South Africa	Thirteen year-old who took stand for young girls with natural hair

Influential

Name	Nationality	Description
Alicia Keys	United States	Singer-songwriter
Aline Mukovi Neema	Republic of the Congo	Student activist for political change
Carmen Aristegui	Mexico	journalist
Egge Kande	Senegal	Community leader who advises young girls about education
Evelyn Miralles	Venezuela	NASA computer engineer
Heather Rabbatts	Jamaica	Lawyer 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 States	Social entrepreneur
Liliane Landor	Lebanon	BBC journalist
Lubna Tahtamouni	Jordan	Biology professor and science campaigner
Mallika Srinivasan^[58]	India	CEO of Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited
Maria Zakharova	Russia	Foreign ministry spokeswoman
Marne Levine	United States	Chief Operating Officer, Instagram
Marta Vieira da Silva	Brazil	Footballer
Rachida Dati	France	Politician
Rakefet Russak-Aminoach	Israel	CEO, Bank Leumi
Rebecca Walker	United States	Writer and activist
Shriti Vadera	Uganda	Banker and economist
Simone Biles	United States	Olympic gymnast
Thuli Madonsela^[55]	South Africa	Advocate who combats corruption
Zoleka Mandela	South Africa	Writer – survivor of addictions, sexual abuse and cancer. Granddaughter of Nelson Mandela.

Pioneering

Name	Nationality	Description
Asel Sadyrova	Kyrgyzstan	Archer
Chan Yuen-ting^[56]	Hong Kong	Football manager
Chanira Bajracharya	Nepal	Former "living goddess" or Kumari
Churan Zheng	People's Republic of China	Women's rights activist arrested for planning protest against sexual harassment on public transportation
Cindy Meston	Canada	Professor of clinical psychology
Ellinah Ntombi Wamukoya	Eswatini	First woman to become a bishop of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa
Erin McKenney	United States	Science award winner
Gouri Chindarkar^[58]	India	Computer engineering student of the "School in the Cloud"
Jane Elliott	United States	Educator, author and anti-racism activist
Katherine Johnson	United States	Space scientist who was a mathematician for NASA
Lhakpa Sherpa	Nepal	Mountaineer who has climbed Mount Everest seven times.
Lucy Finch	Malawi	Palliative care nurse and founder of Malawi's only hospice
Mary Akrami	Afghanistan	Women'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	Nigeria	Founder of BeiBei Haven Foundation, helping those struggling with infertility
Sherin Khankan	Denmark	Imam
Shirin Gerami	Iran	First "Ironwoman" triathlete in Iran
Sian Williams	United Kingdom Wales	Rugby player
Stephanie Harvey	Canada	Professional e-gamer "missharvey"
Yasmine Mustafa	Kuwait	Entrepreneur, CEO of ROAR for Good

Resilient

Name	Nationality	Description
Ashwaq Moharram	Yemen	Doctor dealing with starvation in Hudaydah
Becci Wain	United Kingdom	Healthcare assistant and former self-harmer who challenged supermarket policy
Carolina de Oliveira	Lebanon Syria	Actor and Mental health activist
Dalia Sabri	Jordan	Blind music teacher
Erin Sweeny	Australia	Psychologist
Karima Baloch	Pakistan ( Balochistan)	Balochistan independence campaigner; died under suspicious circumstances in 2020
Kathy Murray	United States	Relationship coach and co-author of "Surrendered Wives Empowered Women"
Khadija Ismayilova	Azerbaijan	Journalist
Mao Kobayashi	Japan	Newsreader and cancer blogger
Marta Sánchez Soler	Mexico	Sociologist, activist and President of the Mesoamerican Migrant Movement
'Mary'	Kenya	Survivor of al-Shabab rape
Mercedes Doretti	Argentina	Forensic anthropologist who investigates crimes against humanity
Morena Herrera	El Salvador	Philosopher and Abortion activist
Nagira Sabashova	Kyrgyzstan	Wrestler
Natalia Ponce de Leon	Colombia	Human rights activist and acid attack victim
Pashtun Rahmat	Afghanistan	Police officer
Saalumarada Thimmakka^[59]^[58]	India	105-year-old environmentalist
Stephanie Yim Bell	United States	Korean-American professional wrestler, then known as Jade
Traci Houpapa	New Zealand	Company director
Um-Yehia	Syria	Nurse

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)

Name	Country	Occupation
Fatou Bensouda	Gambia	Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC)
Bobbi Brown	United States	Make-up artist and entrepreneur
Sania Mirza^[62]	India	Tennis player
Hilary Swank^[62]	United States	Actress
Alek Wek	United Kingdom South Sudan	Fashion model/UN ambassador

30 under 30 entrepreneurs

Name	Country	Occupation
Antonia Albert	Austria	Founder, Careship
Victoria Alonsoperez	Uruguay	Co-founder, ieeTECH
Paulina Arreola	Mexico	CEO and co-founder, Lavadero
Meryl Benitah	France	Founder, La Boite Qui Cartonne
Leimin Duong	Australia	Founder, Zeven Lemon Beerworks
Elissa Freiha	United Arab Emirates Lebanon	Co-founder, WOMENA
Melanie Goldsmith	United Kingdom	Founder, Smith and Sinclair
Sara Jane Ho	Hong Kong	Founder, Institute Sarita
Samantha John	United States	CTO and co-founder of Hopscotch
Linda Kwamboka	Kenya	Co-founder, MFarm Ltd
Zihan Ling	People's Republic of China	CEO and founder, TechBase
Catherine Mahugu	Kenya	Founder, Soko
Karabo Mathang	South Africa	South Africa's first female Fifa-accredited soccer agent
Brit Morin	United States	CEO and founder, Brit + Co
Smriti Nagpal^[17]	India	Founder, Atulyakala
Pauline Ng	Singapore	Co-founder, Porcelain
Bel Pesce	Brazil	Founder, FazINOVA
Elsa Prieto	France Spain	Technical director and co-founder, Pili Pop
Cristina Randall	Canada	Founder, Conekta
Claire Reid	South Africa	Entrepreneur, Reel Gardening
Nikita Ridgeway	Australia	CEO and founder, Dreamtime Ink Australia
Lorrana Scarpioni	Brazil	Founder, Bliive
Rasha Shehada	Palestine	Managing director, Diamond Line FZE
Zuzanna Stańska	Poland	Entrepreneur, creator of DailyArt app
Michelle Sun	Hong Kong	Founder, First Code Academy
Julie Sygiel	United States	Founder, Dear Kate
Kanika Tekriwal^[17]^[63]	India	CEO and founder, JetsetGo
Lizanne Teo	Singapore	Co-founder, Upsurge
Jana Tepe	Germany	CEO and founder, Tandemploy
Xian Xu (entrepreneur)	People's Republic of China	Co-founder, Cuisines Sous Vide restaurant chain

'Good girl' film-makers

Name	Country	Occupation
Naomi Bya'Ombe	Republic of the Congo	Student
Massiel Chávez	Venezuela	Student
Ayesha Ishtiaq	Pakistan	Student
Delaney Osborne	United States	Student
Lubov Russkina	Russia	Reindeer nomad
Nour (pseudonym)	Syria	Refugee

Vintage ladies (octogenarians)

Name	Country	Occupation
Nawal el-Sadaawi	Egypt	Writer
Kamini Kaushal^[17]	India	Bollywood actress
Jenni Rhodes	United Kingdom	Textile designer
Louise Schwartz (showgirl)	Jamaica	Showgirl and cabaret performer
Tin Tin Yu (teacher)	Myanmar	Retired teacher

Nurses

Name	Country	Occupation
Eveles Chimala	Malawi	Midwife
Aissa Edon	France Mali	Midwife
Azza Jadalla	Palestine	Nurse
Misraa Jimaa	Ethiopia	Health extension worker
Tina Lavender	United Kingdom	Midwife
Marie-Ange Zimndou Koutou	Central African Republic	Nurse's aide in a war zone

Further inspiration

Name	Country	Occupation
Nicola Adams	United Kingdom	Boxer
Muzzon al-Mellehan	Syria	Activist
Siba Alaradi	Syria	Structural engineer
Sonita Alizadeh^[62]	Afghanistan	Rapper
Niloufar Ardalan	Iran	Footballer
Masoumeh Ataei	Iran	Acid attack survivor
Xyza Bacani	Philippines	Photographer
Alimata Bara	Burkina Faso	Trader
Sana Ben Ashour	Tunisia	Civil society activist
Nicola Benedetti	United Kingdom	Musician
Asha Bhosle^[17]	India	Singer
Cecilia Bouzat	Argentina	Biophysicist
Rivka Carmi	Israel	Geneticist
Estela de Carlotto	Argentina	Human rights activist
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma	South Africa	Physician and chair of the African Union Commission
Isabel dos Santos	Angola	Investor
Ernestina Edem Appiah	Ghana	Social entrepreneur and founder, Ghana Code Club
Jana Elhassan	Lebanon	Novelist
Paula Escobar	Chile	Magazine editor
Monir Farmanfarmaian	Iran	Artist
Claire Fox	United Kingdom	Writer and broadcaster
Uta Frith	Germany	Psychologist
Alina Gracheva	Moldova	Camerawoman
Megan Grano	United States	Comedian
Alice Gray	United Kingdom	Science blogger
Michaela Hollywood	United Kingdom	Fundraiser for disabled people
Ella Ingram (activist)^[62]	Australia	Activist for mental illness anti-discrimination
Somayya Jabarti	Saudi Arabia	Newspaper editor, Saudi Gazette
Tahmina Kohistani	Afghanistan	Olympic sprinter
Rimppi Kumari^[17]	India	Farmer
Zimasa Mabela	South Africa	Naval captain
Emi Mahmoud	Sudan United States	Poet
Amara Majeed	United States	Hijab activist and author
Nemata Majeks-Walker	Sierra Leone	Women's rights activist
Katrine Marcal	Sweden	Economist, writer and journalist
Muniba Mazari	Pakistan	Artist and anchorwoman
Jessy McCabe	United Kingdom	Student
Verashni Pillay	South Africa	Newspaper editor, Mail & Guardian
Irina Polyakova	Russia	Paralympian
Neyda Rojas	Venezuela	Nun
Rabia Salihu Said	Nigeria	Physicist
Amina Sboui	Tunisia	Writer and women's rights activist
Patricia Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal	United Kingdom	Trade envoy
Mumtaz Shaikh^[17]	India	Human rights activist
Nareen Shammo	Iraq	Political activist and journalist
Rotana Tarabzouni	Saudi Arabia	Singer/songwriter
Li Tingting	People's Republic of China	Human rights activist
Sophie Walker	United Kingdom	Leader 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]

Name	Country	Occupation
SDr Yasmin Altwaijri	Saudi Arabia	Mental health and obesity scientist
Conchita Wurst	Austria	Singer
Laura Bates	United Kingdom	Founder, Everyday Sexism project
Pinky Lilani	United Kingdom	Founder, Asian Women of Achievement Awards
Ruby Chakravarti	India	Women's rights campaigner
Susie Orbach	United Kingdom	Psychotherapist
Pontso Mafethe	Zimbabwe	Women's programme manager, Comic Relief
Kate Shand	United Kingdom	Managing director of Enjoy Education
Shappi Khorsandi	United Kingdom	Comedian
Shazia Saleem	United Kingdom	Founder ieat Foods
Wai Wai Nu	Myanmar	Director, Women Peace Net
Michaela Bergman	United Kingdom	Chief Counsellor for Social Issues, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Paula Moreno	Colombia	Founder of peace foundation Manos Visibles
Rubana Huq	Bangladesh	Textile manufacturer
Lucy-Anne Holmes	United Kingdom	Founder, No More Page Three campaign
Brianna Stubbs	United Kingdom	Rower for Great Britain and Oxford PhD Scientist
Matilda Tristam	United Kingdom	Comics writer
Nigar Nazar	Pakistan	Cartoonist
Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy	Pakistan	Documentary film-maker
Uldus Bakhtiozina	Russia	Photographer
Lesley Yellowlees	United Kingdom	First female president, Royal Society of Chemistry
Rebecca Gomperts	Netherlands	Founder, Women on Waves
Katherine Brown	United Kingdom	Academic, King's College London
Emily Kasyoka	Kenya	Boxer, Kenya
Aowen Jin	United Kingdom	Chinese-born British artist
Eliza Rebeiro	United Kingdom	Founder of Lives not Knives
Muge Iplikci	Turkey	Journalist
Natumanya Sarah	Uganda	Educator
Linda Tirado	United States	Campaigner
Alice Hagan	United Kingdom	Technician at healthcare company BTG
May Tha Hla	Myanmar	Food aid social worker
Rainatou Sow	Guinea	Founder of Make Every Woman Count
Justa Canaviri^[65]	Bolivia	Celebrity chef, Bolivia
Heather Jackson	United Kingdom	Women's business campaigner
Ruby Wax	United States	Mental health campaigner and comic
Umm Ahmed	Iraq	Sole provider for her family
Xiaolu Guo	People's Republic of China	Novelist and film-maker
Hind Hobeika	Lebanon	Founder of Instabeat
Molly Case	United Kingdom	Student nurse and Women of the Future Ambassador
Joyce Banda	Malawi	Former President of Malawi
Saadia Zahidi	Pakistan	Managing Director at the World Economic Forum
Aditi Mittal	India	Stand-up comedian
Jess Butcher	United Kingdom	Co-founder of Blippar
Farah Mohamed	United States	Founder, Girls 20 summit
Katy Tuncer	United Kingdom	Founder, Ready Steady Mums
Smruti Sriram	United Kingdom	Founder, Wings of Hope & Achievement Awards
Darshan Karki	Nepal	Opinion-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	Iraq	Journalist writing about women's issues and the Kurdish political movement
Sabina Kurgunayeva	Azerbaijan	Footballer who also runs her own bicycle rental business
Kate Wilson	United Kingdom	Founder of independent children's book publisher, Nosy Crow
Betty Lalam	Uganda	Director of women's community organisation, Gulu War Affected Training Centre
Arabella Dorman	United Kingdom	War artist
Andy Kawa	South Africa	Businesswoman and social entrepreneur
Bahia Shehab	Lebanon Egypt	Artist, designer and art historian
Divya Sharma	India	Science student
Jocelyn Bell Burnell	United Kingdom	Scientist who discovered Pulsars
Eleni Antoniadou	Greece	Co-founder Transplants Without Donors
Shelina Zahra Janmohamed	United Kingdom	Blogger, columnist and author
Salinee Tavaranan	Thailand	Engineer and social entrepreneur
Hatoon Kadi	Saudi Arabia	Comedian
Brie Rogers Lowery	United Kingdom	Director of Change.org
Balvinder Saund	United Kingdom	Chair of Women's Sikh Alliance
Cora Sherlock^[66]	Ireland	Pro-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 Kingdom	Founder, Winser London
Arzu Geybullayeva	Azerbaijan	Blogger
Judith Webb	United Kingdom	First female commander of an all-male British Army squadron
Sarah Hesterman	Qatar	Equal rights campaigner
Sana Saleem	Pakistan	Pakistani campaigner against Internet censorship
Asma Mansour	Tunisia	Co-founder of Tunisian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship
Diana Nammi	United Kingdom	Kurdish women's rights campaigner against "honour killing"
Funmi Iyanda	Nigeria	Talk show host, journalist, activist
Karen Masters	United Kingdom	Scientist at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation
Khuloud Saba	Syria	Researcher and public health worker
Yolanda Wang Yixuan	People's Republic of China	Women's rights campaigner
Ayesha Mustafa	United Kingdom	Founder and director of FashionComPassion.co.uk
Obiageli Ezekwesili	Nigeria	Former World Bank Vice President for Africa and Former Minister for Education
Tehmina Kazi	United Kingdom	Director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy
Sophi Tranchell	United Kingdom	Head of Divine Chocolate
Boghuma Kabisen Titanji	Cameroon	Virologist and campaigner for ethical medical research
Dwi Rubiyanti Kholifah	Indonesia	Women's movement leader
Anjali Ramachandran	United Kingdom	Head of Innovation at PHD
Yas Necati	United Kingdom	Campaigner for better sex education
Yeonmi Park	South Korea	Activist raising awareness of the plight of her people in North Korea
Irene Li	Hong Kong	Citizen journalist who took part in and documented protests
Sandee Pyne	Myanmar	Chief executive of Community Partners International, focused on aid
Temie Giwa	Nigeria United States	Founder of the One Percent Project, facilitating blood donation
Kavita Krishnan	India	Secretary, All India Progressive Women's Association
Sarah Khan	Pakistan	Filmmaker and campaigner
Nicky Moffat	United Kingdom	Highest Ranked woman in British Armed Forces
Alice Powell	United Kingdom	Racing driver and first female to win a Formula Renault Championship
Misty Haith	United Kingdom	Research Engineer at Imperial College London
Sally Sabry	Egypt	Businesswoman
Kate Smurthwaite	United Kingdom	Comedian and activist
Susana Lopez	Mexico	Virologist specialising in rotavirus
Jaya Luintel	Nepal	Journalist 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]

Image	Name	Occupation
	Salwa Abu Libdeh	Palestinian television journalist
	Madawi Al-Rasheed	Saudi academic and gender expert
	Nadia Al-Sakkaf	Editor, Yemen Times
	Sreymom Ang	Cambodian fashion designer
	Anna Arrowsmith	English porn film director
	Joyce Aoko Aruga	Student teacher in Kenya
	Moe Thuzar Aung	Myanmar state broadcast
	Rehana Azib	London-based barrister
	Firuza Aliyeva	Associate Director, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy
	Zainab Hawa Bangura	UN special representative on sexual violence in conflict
	Michaela Bergman	Chief Counsellor for Social Issues, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
	Claire Bertschinger	Anglo-Swiss nurse whose work inspired Live Aid
	Ingrid Betancourt	French-Colombian former politician and FARC hostage
	Cherie Blair	British barrister and philanthropist
	Emma Bonino	Minister of Foreign Affairs, Italy
	Yvonne Brewster	Stage director, teacher and writer
	Gurinder Chadha	British-Asian film director
	Nervana Mahmoud	Egyptian blogger and commentator
	Irina Chakraborty	Russian-Finnish-Indian engineer
	Shadi Sadr	Iranian lawyer and human rights defender
	Chipo Chung	Chinese-Zimbabwean actor and activist
	Helen Clark	Head of UN Development Programme, former New Zealand Prime Minister
	Diane Coyle	Economist, writer and blogger
	Caroline Criado Perez	British journalist and feminist campaigner
	Jody Day	Founder of Gateway Women, a network for childless women
	Es Devlin	British theatre designer
	Klára Dobrev	Hungarian lawyer and economist
	Efua Dorkenoo	Ghanaian Senior Advisor to Equality Now and campaigner against female genital mutilation
	Sigridur Maria Egilsdottir	Iceland's champion debater
	Marwa El-Daly	Egyptian grassroots activists, founder of the Waqfeyat Foundation
	Bushra El-Turk	British-Lebanese composer
	Obiageli Ezekwesili	Senior adviser, Open Society Foundations
	Caroline Farrow	Catholic writer, blogger and pro-life activist
	Anne Stella Fomumbod	Women's rights activist, Cameroon
	Teresa Forcades	Radical Spanish nun
	Razan Ghazzawi	Syrian blogger and activist
	Rebecca Gomperts	Dutch doctor, head of Women on Waves
	Tanni Grey-Thompson	Winner of 11 Paralympic Games gold medals
	Parveen Hassan	Conservative women's organiser, UK
	Barbara Hewson	Senior barrister, UK
	Anis Hidayah	Indonesian activist working on migrant worker rights
	Deborah Hopkins	British mother and political activist
	Rose Hudson-Wilkin	Jamaican born British priest
	Bettany Hughes	Historian, author, broadcaster
	Rubana Huq	Bangladeshi textile manufacturer
	Leyla Hussein	Co-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 Janmohamed	Blogger, columnist and author
	Laura Janner-Klausner	Movement rabbi, specializing in Reform Judaism
	Aowen Jin	Chinese contemporary artist
	Andy Kawa	South African businesswoman, anti-violence campaigner
	Tehmina Kazi	Director, British Muslims for a Secular Democracy
	Jude Kelly	Artistic Director, Southbank Centre
	Fereshteh Khosroujerdy	Visually impaired Iranian singer
	Azadeh Kian	Iranian academic and gender specialist
	Kanya King	CEO and founder, Mobo
	Fawzia Koofi	MP and former Deputy Speaker, Afghan National Parliament
	Dina Korzun	Russian actor and charity activist
	Martha Lane-Fox	UK technology entrepreneur
	Paris Lees	Transgender broadcaster
	Ann Leslie	Journalist
	Sian Lindley	Researcher in social technology
	Pontso Mafethe	Programme manager, Comic Relief
	Brooke Magnanti	US anthropologist, author, former sex worker
	Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba	Deputy Secretary General, the Commonwealth
	Shirley Meredeen	Founding member, Growing Old Disgracefully
	Samar Samir Mezghanni	Record-breaking young Tunisian writer
	Shazia Mirza	British comedian
	Aditi Mittal	Indian comedian
	Rosmery Mollo	Indigenous Bolivian activist
	Orzala Ashraf Nemat	Afghan scholar and civil society activist
	Pauline Neville-Jones	Former UK Security and Counter-Terrorism Minister
	Susie Orbach	Psychotherapist and author
	Mirina Paananen	Islamic researcher
	Claudia Paz y Paz	Attorney General, Guatemala
	Mariane Pearl	French journalist, founder of Chime for Change
	Laura Perrins	Stay-at-home mother
	Charlotte Raven	British feminist and journalist
	Gail Rebuck	Chief executive, Random House UK
	Justine Roberts	Founder, Mumsnet
	Sarah Rogers	Voice of Women community radio, Sierra Leone
	Fatima Said	British-Egyptian pro-democracy advocate
	Balvinder Saund	Chair of Sikh Women's Alliance
	Kamila Shamsie	UK-based Pakistani writer
	Divya Sharma	Indian electronics and communications engineer
	Bahia Shehab	Lebanese-Egyptian artist, designer and art historian
	Joanna Shields	Chair and CEO, Tech City Investment Organisation
	Stephanie Shirley	Businesswoman and philanthropist
	Clare Short	British politician, former International Development Secretary
	Jacqui Smith	Former UK Home Secretary
	Kate Smurthwaite	British stand-up comedian and activist
	Rainatou Sow	Guinean founder, Make Every Woman Count
	Louise Stephenson	Trainee counsellor, UK
	May Tha Hla	Founder, Helping The Burmese Delta
	Natasha Walter	British feminist writer and campaigner
	Judith Webb	First female commander of all-male British Army squadron
	Saadia Zahidi	Head of Gender Parity and Human Capital, World Economic Forum
	Dinara Zhorobekova	Student, Kyrgyzstan
	Gemma Godfrey	Board director, broadcaster
	Martina Navratilova	18-time Grand Slam singles tennis champion