Core include appears below:
Di BBC don reveal im list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around di world for 2022.
Among dem na ogbonge global musician Billie Eilish, Ukraine First Lady Olena Zelenska, actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas plus Selma Blair, di ‘tsarina of Russian pop’ Alla Pugacheva, Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi, record-breaking triple jump athlete Yulimar Rojas, and Ghanaian author Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah.
Dis na di tenth season of 100 Women and, sake of dis, we dey take di opportunity to explore which progress dem don make ova di last ten years. As huge steps forward don dey for women's rights - from di number of female leaders to di MeToo movement - for women in many corners of di world e still feel like dem get long way to go.
Di list also reflect di role of women wey dey di heart of conflict around di world for 2022 – from female protesters wey bravely demand change for Iran, to di female face of conflict and resistance for Ukraine and Russia. For di first time dis year, we don also ask previous 100 women to nominate oda pipo wey dem feel say deserve a place for di 2022 list.
Lawyer
As di civil war for Yemen don grow more violent dis year, lawyer Maeen Al-Obaidi continue to focus on peace building for di besieged city of Taiz. She don take on di role of mediator, dey facilitate how dem dey exchange prisoners between conflicting groups. While she no always dey successful to get fighters back to dia families alive, she try to make sure say dem return di bodies of those wey don die.
She don volunteer for di Yemen Women Union, wia she defend imprisoned women. She also be di first woman dem prompt to di Lawyers Syndicate Council, dey oversee di human rights and freedoms committee.
Student
Afghan teenager, Fatima Amiri na one of di survivors of one suicide attack for one tuition centre for Kabul wey kill more than 50 pipo, most of dem na female students. She gbab serious injuries, including di loss of one eye and severe damage to her jaw and ear.
As she dey recover, she study for her university entrance exams and sit for dem for October, score more than 85%. Her dream now na to study computer science for Kabul University and say losing her eye for di attack don make her stronger and more determined.
Nun
Her appointment by Pope Francis as di undersecretary of di Synod of Bishops make her di first woman to ever hold dis position. For di role, she be one of a number of leaders wey dey advise di pope on matters wey dey important to di Catholic Church, plus she be di only woman wit voting rights. Di body secretary-general tok for 2021 say her appointment show say “one door don open” for women.
Previously, di French nun of di Congregation of Xavières bin serve as di first female director of di National Service for di Evangelisation of Young People and Vocations for France.
As Pope Francis tok, ‘na duty of justice to fight against all discrimination and violence’ on women… Togeda we need to support in any way to involve more women for leadership positions at all levels.
Nathalie Becquart
Journalist
Na renowned Russian journalist, Taisia Bekbulatova found di independent media outlet Holod for 2019. Di organisation don report extensively on di war in Ukraine, plus publish stories about inequality, violence, and women rights. Authorities block di website for Russia for April, during one crackdown on independent media.
Despite dis, Bekbulatova and her team don vow to continue dia work, and dem don see dia readership increase. Bekbulatova, wey comot Russia for 2021 afta dem label her as ‘foreign agent’, don travel to Ukraine herself to report on di war from di frontline.
I no dey believe in inevitable progress. Modern civilisation don always look fragile and easy to destroy. And women rights na im dey usually first disappear.
Taisia Bekbulatova
Journalist
During di war for Ukraine, award-winning journalist Kristina Berdynskykh don travel around her kontri, dey report from regions wey dey under Russian shelling. Some of her work don focus particularly on di details of daily life for city wey dey in conflict.
Dem born her Kherson, but Berdynskykh don wored as a political journalist for 14 years fori Kyiv, including for NV magazine and various TV and radio projects. She create e-People, onea social media project about participants for Ukraine Euromaidan Revolution wey later become a book.
Disability activist
As a woman wit intellectual disability, Fernanda Castro dey fighting for odas like her to fit participate in politics. She dey part of one group of disability rights advocates, wey Human Rights Watch dey support, dey ask all political parties for Mexico to include pipo wit intellectual and learning disabilities inside dia policies.
Her work cover language accessibility in documents wey relate to political decisions, and inclusion for political parties and electoral events. Castro na part of one Mexican delegation to di United Nations wey present one report into disability rights, and she be representative for di global network Inclusion International.
Sexual consent activist
Founder of one movement dem call 'Teach Us Consent’ wey dey lobby for holistic consent and sexuality education, for 2021 Chanel Contos post one story on Instagram, dey ask her followers if dem or pesin dem sabi don dey sexually assaulted for school. Within 24 hours more than 200 pipo don reply “yes”.
She launch one petition dey call for earlier consent education for Australia. Thanks to her campaign, consent education go dey compulsory in all schools from kindergarten until year 10 from 2023. Now she dey educate people about non-consensual condom removal, or stealthing, plus she dey campaign to criminalise di act.
Politician
Na former student leader of Aymara descent, Eva Copa dey shake up politics for Bolivia. Afta she fail to win her party nomination to be mayor of El Alto, di kontri second-largest city, she stand against dia candidate and win wit 69% of di vote. She recently announce di city plan for women, wey go aim to strengthen women rights through policy and investment.
Copa no dey new to politics, afta she don serve as a senator between 2015 and 2020. Mny pipo see her split wit di ruling party as a shift towards more diversified political landscape for Bolivia.
"We need more women leaders: women wey go always dey on dia feet, never on dia knees."
Eva Copa
Law professor
As emeritus dean of Law for di University of Nigeria and former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Joy Ezeilo na leading authority for di field of international human rights.
She be founding director of di Women Aid Collective (WACOL), wey in di last 25 years don provide free legal aid and shelter to 60,000 vulnerable women for Nigeria. She also found di Tamar Sexual Assault Referral Centre, to provide one rapid response to victims and survivors of abuse.
Na 2021 winner and writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie nominate her.
“Professor Ezeilo don impact many lives through di provision of free legal aid to di poor, especially to women and girls wey dia human rights don dey violated.”
Founder of ElectHER
Through ElectHER, Ibijoke Faborode dey shake di women political movement for Nigeria. Her organisation dey work to bridge inequality gaps in political representation and e don engage more than 2,000 women in politics across Africa. Wit di #Agender35 campaign, her organisation dey directly back 35 women wey dey run for local or federal office for di 2023 general election, dey provide dem wit human and financial resources.
She also dey behind di first African feminist mobile app for election data analysis. Faborode currently serve in di Leadership Council of The Democracy and Culture Foundation, wey dey identifiy new ways to improve democratic processes.
Politician
She be di first black trans woman wey dem go ever electe to a seat for di National Congress of Brazil. Erika Hilton na activist wey dey campaign against racism, and for LGBTQ+ and human rights.
As a teenager, dem send her comot from one conservative family home and she live on di streets, before she go university. Wit a background in student politics, Hilton move to São Paulo and join di left-wing PSOL party. For 2020 dem elect her to di city council and go on to author di law wey introduce one municipal fund against hunger for Brazil largest city.
Our fight na to achieve equal rights, equal wages and di end of gender-based violence, whether we be black, Latin, white, poor, rich, cis or transgender.
Erika Hilton
Political reformer
As a university student, Park Ji-hyun anonymously help bust one of South Korea biggest online sex-crime rings, wey dem sabi as di Nth rooms. Dis year she go public wit her experience and enta into politics, dey reach out to young female voters.
Wen di Democratic Party lose di presidential race, dem name her co-interim leader. She bin also dey on di women committee, wey focus on tackling digital sex crimes. For June, di party face further losses and she resign. While she fit no get any official role at di moment, she still dey committed to pushing for gender equality in politics.
Globally, digital sex crimes threaten women rights and we need to solve dis problem togeda.
Park Ji-hyun
Journalist
For six years under Taliban rule, Zahra Joya become ‘Mohammad’ and dress as a boy to attend school. Wen US-led forces topple di Taliban for 2001 she return to school as Zahra. She begin work as a journalist for 2011 and most time she be di only female reporter for di newsroom.
She be di founder of Rukhshana Media, Afghanistan first feminist news agency, named afta one 19-year-old wey Taliban stone to death. Dem evacuate Joya from Afghanistan for 2021 and now she dey run Rukhshana Media from exile for di UK. She win di Gates Foundation 2022 Changemaker Award.
I believe in di soft power of words and we must speak about all di injustice against women.
Zahra Joya
President of di European Commission
Di first female president of di European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen na German politician. She serve for Angela Merkel cabinet and na di first female Defence Minister dem don ever appoint for Germany.
Dem born am for Brussels, she study economics and medicine before she go into politics. She take di EU top job for 2019, and since then don lead di bloc through Brexit, di Covid-19 pandemic, and di war for Ukraine. She be driving force behind one EU law wey need gender balance on company board wey dem adopt dis year.
Na 2020 winner, Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin nominate her.
“As Europe don face one crisis afta anoda, Ursula von der Leyen don show incredible resolve to help di European Union get through dis challenges togeda. Her leadership no get gbege. Di times dey tough, but she dey even tougher.”
Politician
Former Justice Minister Naomi Long bring legislation to tackle a number of new sexual offences for Northern Ireland di year, including downblousing, cyber-flashing and also cancel di ‘rough sex’ defence. Afta she receive death threats, Long don also try to raise awareness of di harassment of female politicians.
She be civil engineer by profession wey join di Alliance Party for 1995. Afta she serve as Lord Mayor of Belfast, she become di first Alliance MP elected to Westminster for 2010, knock former first minister Peter Robinson out of di Westminster seat wey im don hold for more than 30 years.
We need to tackle di attitudes wey create an environment wia abuse remain commonplace. Dat one mean say all of us directly and consistently go challenge di culture of male entitlement, sexism, and misogyny.
Naomi Long
Judge
Dem appoint her dis year as di first female judge of di Supreme Court of Pakistan, Justice Ayesha A. Malik don author judgements wey dey protect di rights of women. Dis one include her landmark judgement wey ban di so-called two-finger test of rape victims.Dem dey perform dis ‘virginity tests wen dem dey examine sexual assault cases until dem outlaw am for 2021.
Alongside her role on di Supreme Court, Malik also conduct training for judges around di world and don inaugurate conferences for women judges for Pakistan, dey encourage di debate around plus di gender perspective for di justice system.
Women must build a new narrative - one wey include dia perspective, share dia experience, and include dia tori.
Ayesha Malik
Educator
As one of di founders of di Nojin Socio-Cultural Association, Zara Mohammadi don dedicate more than a decade to teach di Kurdish language for her hometown of Sanandaj.
Di Iranian constitution tok say dem freely allow di use of regional and ethnic languages for educational settings, but lawyers and activists say dis no be di case in practice, so children cannot learn dia mother tongue for school. Di Iranian goment accuse Mohammadi say e "form groups and societies wit di aim of disrupting national security" and dem sentence her to five years in prison. She don dey jail since January 2022.
Prime Minister
As di first female prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley win second term for office afta one landslide victory, for January. She don lead di Barbados Labour Party since 2008. She guide di Caribbean island as dem cut ties wit di British royal family, comot di monarch as head of state and become di world newest republic.
Dem sabi Mottley say she dey outspoken about climate change. For COP27 she criticise wealthy nations say dem fail to tackle di climate crisis, warn say by 2050, climate refugee fit don reach one billion if nobody take action.
Political campaigner
Dem sentence Law student Sepideh Qoliyan to five years in prison for supporting workers rights for Khuzestan province, for southwest Iran. She don spend di last four years for four different Iranian prisons, including Evin, di primary site for di housing of political prisoners dem transfer Qoliyan for October 2021.
"Even from prison, she continue her work, dey send out one audio tape wey describe di ""inhumane"" treatment she don face. She also act as a voice for female inmates, and while on bail, she write one book about di ""torture"" and ""injustice"" wey women dey experience for Iran prisons."
Politician
For May 2022, Roza Salih become di first refugee dem go elect to Glasgow City Council, afta e arrive for Scotland as a young girl wen dem force her family to flee Iraq. Now di SNP councillor for di Greater Pollok ward, Salih don campaign for refugee rights since she be teenager and she and her school friends come togeda to protest di detention of a friend.
Dia campaign,di Glasgow Girls, draw national attention to di treatment of asylum seekers. Salih don go on to co-found Scottish Solidarity wit Kurdistan, dey visit Kurdish regions for Turkey as a human rights activist.
Member of di Brazilian Federal Senate
Many pipo dey see her as a figure wey go shake di kontri deepening polarisation, centrist Brazilian Senator Simone Tebet finish third for dis year presidential race. Dem bin elect her as state representative for 2002 and mayor of her hometown Três Lagoas for 2004 and 2008. For 2014, dem elect her to di Senate wit over 52% of di valid votes.
She be di first woman to chair di Constitution and Justice Committee of di Senate, as dem consider her di chamber most important panel.Na professor of law for over a decade, Tebet also chair di Joint Committee to Combat Violence against Women.
Everyone suppose sabi say di future na female, and a woman place na wherever she want.
Simone Tebet
Educational entrepreneur
"Beles Bubu na YouTube channel wey teach Eritrean children dia language and culture, na content creator and entrepreneur Kisanet Tedros start am. Born and raised in Ethiopia, from a young age she appreciate di importance of understanding language to feel connected to pesin root."
Her production team bring togeda self-taught voice and digital artists from Eritrea, Uganda and di Democratic Republic of Congo to create digital content. Di videos dey accessible by Tigrinya-speaking parents and dia children from Eritrea and Ethiopia. Tedros also organise di first Beles Bubu Kids Festival for refugees for Kampala, Uganda.
Buddhist philanthropist
Dharma Master Cheng Yen dey seen as one of di most influential figures for di development of modern Taiwanese Buddhism. Founder of di humanitarian Tzu Chi Foundation, dem dey sometimes call her ‘the Mother Teresa of Asia’.
She start di organisation for 1966, wit just 30 housewives dey save moni to help famiy wey dey in need. E don since grow to get millions of followers globally, dey provide international relief and medical aid, and running schools and hospitals. Now in her late 80s, her followers continue dia philanthropic campaigns and most recently provide financial and material aid to refugees from war-torn Ukraine.
Charity worker
“Di world suppose unite to make sure say dem no hold anybody hostage or in prison for wetin dem no do”, dat na di word of British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Radcliffe afta Iranian authorities free her for March, afta one long-running campaign by her husband Richard dey push di British goment to secure her release and solve one historic debt dispute wit Iran.
Dem arbitrarily detain Nazanin for Iran as she dey on holiday wit her daughter for 2016, and subsequently as diplomatic pawn di Iranian authorities hold her hostage to put pressure on di British goment. Dem hold her for six years - initially convicted by di Revolutionary Court for attempting to overthrow di Iranian regime. Wen dem conclude her first sentence for 2021, dem give her a second sentence, and hold her for Iran until dem reach one diplomatic settlement. Zaghari-Ratcliffe don strongly refute all allegations, and dey write a memoir wit her husband.
First Lady
Na successful TV scriptwriter wey use to work behind di scenes, Olena Zelenska enta di world stage wen her husband, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, become president of Ukraine for 2019. As First Lady she don work to improve womens rights and promote Ukrainian culture.
Afta di Russian invasion, she use her platform to highlight di suffering of di Ukrainian people, she become di first spouse of any foreign president to address US Congress. Now she dey focused on delivering mental health support for children and families wey di war don traumatize.
Women don even take on more responsibility pass during peacetime… Any woman wey don experience dis (war) no go ever take a step back. And I dey sure say our inner confidence go grow.
Olena Zelenska
Runner
For 2012, dem bomb Dima Aktaa home for Syria. She lose her leg and di ability to do one of her favourite things: run. Approximately 28% of Syrians get disability, nearly double di global average, according to UN data. Ten years later, Aktaa dey UK, dey train to compete for di 2024 Paralympics.
Afta she raise moni for refugees during di pandemic, dem recognise her as a member of England alternative football squad, di Lionhearts. Her tori recently featured for pop star Anne-Marie music video Beautiful, and she continue to raise awareness of di strength of pipo wit disabilities.
Actress
Dis year, award-winning actress and filmmaker Zar Amir-Ebrahimi become di first Iranian to win Best Actress for Cannes for her performance for Holy Spider, one feem based on di true tori of one serial killer wey target sex workers.
Amir-Ebrahimi bin comot Iran to avoid persecution and prosecution, afta one intimate video of her leak and dem subject her to smear campaign about her past love life. For 2008 she move to Paris, found her production company Alambic Production, and don continue to build impressive career both in front of and behind di camera.
Actress
Known for her roles for pop-culture classics Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde and di Hellboy franchise, Selma Blair na American film and television actress.
Dem diagnose her wit multiple sclerosis for 2018 and dem don praise her for raising awareness of di condition, as she dey tok openly about her health journey and di challenges she dey face. Dis year, she release her memoir Mean Baby, and team up wit one ability-inclusive make-up brand, wit di goal to make ergonomic cosmetics wey dey easier to use and apply for everyone.
I be woman wey don get hard past, wey dem fit judge for a lot of things and dem fit dismantle my power easily, but na through di support of oda women I dey here.
Selma Blair
Swimmer
Spanish artistic swimmer Ona Carbonell campaigns to normalise how pipo dey seeher as a mother and ogbonge athlete. Di three-time Olympian, don collect more than 30 major medals, including Olympic silver and bronze.
For 2020, she give birth to her first child and begin train to fit reach di Tokyo Olympics. She voice her disappointment ova rules wey mean say she no go fit breastfeed her son for di event. Dis year, she become mama for di second time. She tell her tori for one documentary to show oda female athletes say motherhood fit go togeda wit sport.
NBA scouter
Former professional basketball player Sarah Chan don begin mentor teenagers and teach dem di sport for all ova Africa. She also be di first female manager of scouting for Africa for di NBA Toronto Raptors basketball team.
Afta she run comot di war for Khartoum, Sudan, she and her family move to Kenya, wia Chan basketball career start. She secure one basketball scholarship for Union University for Jackson, Tennessee, and play professionally for Africa and Europe. Chan start Home At Home/Apediet Foundation, one NGO wey dey fight early age marriages, advocate for education, and use sports to educate young pipo.
You be wetin you believe about yourself, so believe in a future worthy of all your dreams and aspirations.
Sarah Chan
Actress
Wit more than 60 films to her name, Priyanka Chopra Jonas na one of Bollywood biggest film stars. After her movie debut for 2002, di former Miss World breakthrough for Hollywood come as she make history as di first South Asian actress to lead any American network drama series (Quantico, 2015).
Her Hollywood acting credits include Isn't It Romantic and The Matrix Resurrections. She don establish her own production company, dey make films for India. Chopra na also Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, dey campaign for children rights and education for girls.
Di MeToo movement and subsequent voices of collective women to come togeda, protecti each oda, and standi by each oda - something very powerful idey for togetherness.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Singer-songwriter
Grammy Award-winning and record-breaking superstar Billie Eilish dey popular for pushing boundaries wit her music - from her single Your Power, wey call out abusers wey dey kolobi underage girls, to All The Good Girls Go To Hell, one song about climate change.
She make history dis year as she become di youngest Glastonbury headliner ever, dey use her set to protest against di US Supreme Court decision to end constitutional right to abortion. She don tok openly about body image, her periods of depression and living wit Tourette's syndrome.
I dey in awe of di time we dey right now. Women dey at di top. E get one specific period of time wia I bin dey for dis pit of hopelessness because dem no dey take girls like me seriously.
Billie Eilish
Tennis player
Afta one historic run for di 2022 Wimbledon Championships, Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur become di first Arab or African woman to reach Grand Slam final for di Open era. Just months later, she reach di final of di US Open.
Di 28-year-old, wey begin play tennis wen she be three, make am to number two for di Women Tennis Association (WTA) ranking - di highest position wey any African or Arab, whether male or female don reach. Jabeur don win three career singles titles, and don gbab credit say she inspire a new generation of players.
Social worker
Wen her parents no fulfil one demand for more dowry for December 2000, Sneha Jawale husband set her on fire wit kerosene. Di family no file police complaint. Afta her husband comot wit dia son, she become determined to rebuild her life, as a tarot card reader and scriptwriter – jobs wia pipo no need see her face.
Dem ask Jawale, wey now don be social worker, to star for one theatre play, Nirbhaya, wey dem name afta di 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim and based on di experiences of survivors of violence. Performing to audiences around di world help her overcome her fears.
" Over di last 10 years, society attitudes towards burn and acid survivors don change. I no consider myself any less than any Miss World or Miss Universe. I say I dey beautiful, so I am."
Sneha Jawale
Racing driver
For 2018, Reema Juffali make history as she become Saudi Arabia first-ever female professional racing driver. Dis year, she start her very own team, Theeba Motorsport, to compete for di International GT Open and improve di access of Saudi Arabian to motor racing and dia participation. Through di team, di professional driver dey create different kain educational opportunities and programmes to improve diversity for di sport.
She be role model for oda female racing drivers around di world, Juffali hope to achieve anoda first - as she contest di ogbonge Le Mans 24-hour race wit Theeba Motorsport.
Many stereotypes still dey for women in society. Support need to come from di home, plus from di society, for meaningful and lasting change to happun.
Reema Juffali
Fashion designer
To design aesthetically pleasing garments for di elderly and for differently abled bodies na passion for Kadri Keung. She start adaptive fashion brand RHYS wit her mama Ophelia Keung for 2018, inspired by caring for Kadri grandmother and realise say di garments for di elderly no dey too get style and functionality.
As a clothing design graduate, Keung combine her knowledge wit di need of di customer, whether dat na velcro fastenings or a bag to hold a catheter. Her brand employ and train 90 underprivileged women, including some wey get disability. For 2022, Keung start Boundless, one inclusive brand wey dey promote fashionable functional items.
Producer
As a passionate supporter of di arts, Miky Lee dey lead one Korean cultural wave. She be di driving force behind K-pop global success and be architect of di music festival KCON. She also be executive producer of Parasite, di first foreign-language feem to win Oscar for best picture.
Lee na Vice Chair of South Korea entertainment conglomerate CJ ENM - one powerful film and TV studio, cable operator and music production company.
Na 2021 winner, actress Rebel Wilson nominate am
“She na total GIRL POWER, and a role model to me. She don represent and promote her culture to di world and dat na all class.” - Rebel Wilson
Professor and former footballer
Former captain of di Wales women football team, Laura McAllister don hold several senior roles for sports governance. She currently be Deputy Chair of Uefa Women Football Committee and stand for election as Uefa representative on di Fifa Council for April 2021. She be board director for di Football Association of Wales Trust.
Currently a professor at Cardiff University, McAllister na expert on Welsh politics. Dis year, Wales choose her as LGBT sports ambassador to attend di World Cup for Qatar. Dem bin ask her to remove her ‘rainbow wall’ bucket hat wey show support for di LGBTQI+ community as she enter di stadium.
Rap artist
Artist and songwriter Danupha Khanatheerakul, wey pipo sabi by her stage name Milli, dey use controversial lyrics to address issues like unrealistic beauty standards and sexual consent. She dey rap in plenti languages and dialects, also idey put slang from Thailand transgender community. She recently announce her first debut album dem call BABB BUM BUM.
She become viral sensation for Coachella festival dis year as she challenge Thai stereotypes and di goment, plus she chop mango sticky rice onstage, one traditional Thai dessert. Last year she face defamation charges say she criticise di Covid-19 response of Thai goment. Sake of dis, di hashtag #SaveMilli trend.
Actress
Very few performers don gain EGOT status – na term for di ogbonge achievement of winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award – but Rita Moreno na one of dem. Di Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer make her Broadway debut for di age of 13 and don get illustrious career wey don last seven decades.
She appear for Singin’ in di Rain and The King and I, but na her Anita for di original West Side Story wey make her become di first Latina to ever win an Oscar. Steven Spielberg make dem write entirely new character written into im acclaimed remake especially for Moreno,wey now dey for her 90s.
Referee
For one historic moment for international football, Fifa pick Salima Rhadia Mukansanga as one of di first three women referees to officiate for men World Cup, for Qatar 2022 - di first time wey di tournament go get women for di role since 92 years.
Last January, she become di first woman to referee a match for di men Africa Cup of Nations, and she also officiate for di Olympic Games for Tokyo. She don already preside over games for di highest level for international women football. Before working in sport, she train as a midwife.
Musician
Performer and composer Alla Pugacheva don sell more than 250 million records. Wit one repertoire of over 500 songs and 100 albums, di ‘tsarina of Russian pop’ na cultural icon, many pipo sabi her for her clear mezzo-soprano voice, even though now she don retire from performing.
Russia don repeatedly honour her for her music, yet Pugacheva don speak out against di goment on a number of occasions. She recently post one message to her 3.6 million followers on Instagram dey denounce di war for Ukraine, wit reactions ranging from praise to accuse of treason
Di world don see significant progress in di fight for women to fit access education and financial independence. However, domestic violence na still one big issue for many kontris.
Alla Pugacheva
Climber
For di Asian Championships wey happun for South Korea for October, Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi compete without headscarf, as protests against di mandatory hijab dey go on for her home kontri. She come fourth for di championships, but gain popularity among Iranian protesters. Many pipo greet her for one Tehran airport wen she return home, and dem praise her on social media.
One post on her Instagram page later say her hijab bin fall off “inadvertently” and she apologise to di Iranian pipo for one State TV interview for di “confusion and concerns”. However, one source bin tell BBC Persian say her interview na forced confession.
Athlete
Olympic medallist (gold and silver) and three-time world champion, Yulimar Rojas become di world record holder for di women triple jump wen she record 15.74m for di World Athletics Indoor Championships for March. She don now set her sights on one even bigger achievement – jumping 16m.
Dem born her for Caracas, Venezuela, and raise her for one poor area on di Caribbean coast, she don tok say na her humble beginning help her to succeed. Currently part of di Barcelona FC athletics team, Rojas don achieve hero status for her kontri. She be openly lesbian and na vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ issues.
We women no suppose dey intimidated. We no get any impossibles, e don already dey clear say dem dey underestimate us but we don already show wit great pride wetin we dey capable of.
Yulimar Rojas
Artist
"For 2022, dem appoint art consultant Sally Scales to di group wey dey work wit di Australian goment ahead of one referendum dem sbai as ‘Voice to Parliament’ - one historic consultation wey, if successful, fit see indigenous pipo dey permanently represent in parliamentary processes."
"A respected cultural leader and artist, Scales na Pitjantjatjara woman from Pipalyatjara for di far west of di Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, for remote South Australia. She be di second woman to hold di position of APY chairperson, and na tok-tok pesin for di APY Art Centre Collective, one group of indigenous-owned cultural enterprises."
Na 2018 winner, former politician Julia Gillard nominate her
“Sally na creator of both wonderful art and human understanding. As she dey teach and ginger odas, she catalyse di many change dem need to end di combination of racism and sexism.”
Author
Dem don describe her book The Sex Lives of African Women as "an ogbonge report on di quest for sexual liberation", for one dazzling review by Publishers Weekly. The Economist list am as one of di best books of di year, wey reflect a diverse range of voices from across di continent and global diaspora.
Writer and feminist activist Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah also be co-founder of Adventures from di Bedrooms of African Women - one website, podcast and festival twey dey create content to recount di experiences of African women around sex, sexualities, and pleasure.
Feminists don succeed in creating space for all women to be themselves. But we dey face a backlash, wey be di result of our gains - and dis backlash particularly dey affect gender diverse and gender non-conforming pipo.
Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
Author
Novelist and writer Geetanjali Shree make history ds year wen she become di first Hindi writer to win di International Booker Prize for Tomb of di Sand, di English translation of her novel Ret Samadhi. Dem also shortlist di French translation of di book for di Emile Guimet Prize.
Shree dey write fiction for Hindi and non-fiction for Hindi and English. Marked by innovative use of language and structure, dem don translate her work into many Indian and foreign languages. She don also work on theatrical scripts in collaboration wit di theatre group Vivadi, wia she be founding member.
Women don always negotiate dia spaces. But in our day marked progress don dey for them in all spheres of life, even if no be di same balance across cultures and classes.
Geetanjali Shree
Artist
Dem detain St Petersburg artist Alexandra Skochilenko for replacing supermarket price tags wit messages about di Ukraine war, including information on di potential number of casualties for di Mariupol theater airstrike. Afta one shopper report am dem charge her under one law wey ban ‘disinformation’ about Russia armed forces.
She currently dey for one pre-trial detention center dey await sentencing, she consider herself a prisoner of conscience and face up to 10 years in prison.
Skochilenko don write comic books wey focus on mental health, including Notes on Depression and What Is Mania? Her girlfriend don report concerns for Skochilenko health as she dey detention.
Writer
She be storyteller and promoter of culture from Colombia El Chocó region, Velia Vidal na lover of shared readings. She be di founder of Motete, one organization wey dey promote reading and literacy, plus Chocó unique culture. She dey also organise di Chocó reading and writing festival, as she see literature as a tool to fight inequality and racism for one of Colombia most deprived region.
Her recent book, Aguas de Estuario, be di first winner of one publication grant for Afro-Colombian authors from di Colombian Ministry of Culture. She be researcher for di Afluentes project, one joint initiative wit di British Museum.
We now dey more aware of di historical oppression of women and di need to solve am, but we fail to recognise how racism don deepen dis oppressions on Afro and indigenous pipo.
Velia Vidal
Dancer
Na pikin of Algerian diaspora, Esraa Warda na cultural warrior wey don take traditional Algerian dance from di living room todi classroom. She advocate for di preservation of North African women-led dance traditions, wit particular focus on raï, one grassroots genre wey from history dey associated wit social protest.
She be mentee of Cheikha Rabia, one of few female masters of traditional raï for di diaspora. Warda na touring artist and educator and her performances and workshops don make dia way around di world, from Washington DC to London.
Protester
Widespread protests happun for Iran dis year, afta di death of Mahsa Amini, one 22-year-old Kurdish woman wey morality police arrest for Tehran on 13 September for allegedly violating Iran strict rules wey need women to cover dia hair wit hijab, or headscarf.
Dis year we wan recognise di role women don play for di protests, dey fight for dia freedoms and against di compulsory hijab.
Haircutting don become one of di symbols of a movement wey don spread to celebrities, politicians and campaigners across di world. Some communities for Iran dey see am as a traditional sign of mourning.
Human rights campaigner
Palestinian-Armenian human rights advocate Lina Abu Akleh na di niece of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, one Al Jazeera correspondent wey dem kill for May as e dey cover one raid by Israeli forces for di occupied West Bank. Di Israeli military don tok say e get "high probability" one of im soldiers kill her "by mistake".
Lina don become di face of one campaign for justice and accountability for di killing of her aunt. She hold a master in international studies wit focus on human rights. Dem name her as one of di 2022 TIME100 Next emerging leaders for her advocacy.
We need to pick up wia my aunt Shireen Abu Akleh left off and continue to amplify women perspectives so we fit make sure say di tori we dey tell and di informate we dey gada dey equitable, accurate and whole - without women, dat one no dey possible.
Lina Abu Akleh
Activist
"Working in a remote area of Indonesia, Velmariri Bambari don dey fighting for victims of sexual violence for Central Sulawesi. She don persuade members of di local council to break wit customary law and not impose fines on survivors of sexual abuse."
For customary law, di sanction of “washing di village” establish am say di perpetrators wey dem think say don pollute traditional values suppose pay fine. Di rule also apply to di victim. Sake of her campaign Bambari na di first pesin wey police dey contact wen dem report any mata of sexual violence. She don deal wit plenti cases dis year.
Even though I dey physically disabled I wan devote all di energy wey I get to empower women for my surroundings by creating opportunities wey go allow dem get financial independence.
Velmariri Bambari
Activist
Di #MeToo hashtag bin go viral five years ago, wen millions of pipo around di world share dia experience of sexual harassment. But na survivor and activist Tarana Burke start di movement back in 2006. She coin di phrase to raise awareness of abuse and violence against women.
Wen one 2017 tweet by actress Alyssa Milano amplify #MeToo, e cause one global conversation about how dem dey treat women and e give survivors a powerful voice. Burke remain committed to advocate for survivors of abuse as she continues to fight for cultural and structural change.
Student
Bangladesh get one of di highest rates of child marriage for di world, but Sanjida Islam Choya dey try to change dat. Her own mother bin marry at a young age, but afta one school presentation inspire Choya on di effects of child marriage, she decide to act.
She and her friends, teachers and collaborators call themselves Ghashforing (Grasshoppers) and report incidents of child marriage to di police. Now at university, Choya work wit Ghashforing neva stop and she mentor new members of di group. So far dem don reportedly prevent 50 child marriages.
Disability campaigner
Heidi Crowter don campaign to change perceptions of pipo wey get Down syndrome. She carry di UK government go court ontop legislation wey allow foetuses with di condition to be aborted up until birth, say e dey discriminatory. Di High Court rule against her challenge and say di law wan strike a balance between di rights of di unborn child and of women. For November, Crowter lose her appeal, but say she and her team plan to “keep fighting” and take di case to di Supreme Court.
She ba patron of Positive About Down and founding officer of di National Down Syndrome Policy Group. Dem publish her book, I’m Just Heidi, for August.
I want make pregnant women get di right informate about Down syndrome. I want make pipo keep up wit di times and see us for who we really be!
Heidi Crowter
Human rights activist
Human rights activist and campaigner, Sandya Eknaligoda dey help thousands of mothers and wives wey lose loved ones during Sri Lanka civil war. Her husband, Prageeth Eknaligoda, na prominent investigative journalist and cartoonist, wey miss for January 2010. Im be strong critic of di government and e investigate alleged abuses against Tamil Tiger separatists.
Since im disappearance, di mama of two don dey find justice. She accuse di supporters of Mahinda Rajapaksa, di former president of Sri Lanka, say na dem kidnap her husband. While dem don identify suspects, dem don also free dem.
I be woman wey dey fight on behalf of odas at every opportunity, I dey engage in creative struggle, and overcome challenges in di middle of insults and slander, through dedication and sacrifice.
Sandya Eknaligoda
Civil activist
Gohar Eshghi don become a symbol of endurance and persistence for Iran. Her son, Sattar Beheshti, be blogger wey die in custody a decade ago and Eshghi don dey call for justice since dat time, dey accuse Iranian authorities of torture and murder.
She be one of di Iranian Complainant Mothers, one group wey dey find justice for dia children killings. Holding Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran Supreme Leader, personally responsible for her son death, she be one of di signatories of one letter for 2019, dey call for im resignation. During dis year protests following di death of Mahsa Amini, Eshghi her headscarf in solidarity wit protesters.
Activist
Armed men cari Ceci Flores’ 21-year-old son Alejandro for 2015. Four years later, one criminal group kidnap anoda of her son, Marco Antonio, 31. Flores say wetin dey drive her activism na di fear of dying without finding out wetin happun to her children, wey be victim of forced disappearance in Mexico.
Dis year, di kontri hit one grim milestone, wit 100,000 pipo now dey as missing for wetin di UN don call "a tragedy of enormous proportions". Under Flores’ leadership, di Madres Buscadoras de Sonora collective (Sonora’s Searching Mothers) don help locate more than 1,000 disappeared pesins for clandestine graves.
Femicide activist
One defender of women rights for ova 17 years, Geraldina Guerra Garcés work to protect female victims of violence for Ecuador. She specialise in gathering informate to increase di visibility of femicides - di killing of women sake of dia gender.
She dey behind di Cartographies of Memory initiative, wey wan create "life maps" of victims of femicide, keeping dia memory alive to help cause one cultural shift in attitudes. Guerra track and map cases for di Feminist Alliance and di Latin American Network Against Gender Violence. She also represent di Aldea Foundation and di kontri network of women shelters.
"If strong action no dey to prevent femicides, nobody go progress. Even as new legislation dey come into effect, dem still dey kill us and dat need to change”
Geraldina Guerra Garcés
LGBTQI+ activist
As a refugee herself, Moud Goba don worked for almost two decades wit grassroots organisations wey dey promote di integration of refugees. She currently be national manager for Micro Rainbow, wey dey provide safe shelter to LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and refugees. She lead dia housing project, wey dey provide 25,000 bed-nights a year to di homeless, and also dey involved in dia employability programme.
Recently Goba don manage di integration process of LGBTQI+ pipo wey arrived in di UK from Afghanistan. She be one of di founding members of UK Black Pride and current chair of dia board of trustees.
Dentist and humanitarian
Dentist Gehad Hamdy na also di founder and manager of Speak Up, one Egyptian feminist initiative wey use im social media platform to shine a spotlight on di perpetrators of gender-based violence and sexual harassment. E get series of violent crimes against women across Egypt for 2022, dey bring di issue into focus.
Di organisation dey encourage women to speak out about abuse, as dem dey also provide legal and emotional support and put pressure on authorities to act. Hamdy campaign don dey recognised on plenti occasions, including winning di equal rights and non-discrimination award for di World Justice Forum 2022.
E get long way to go; we no dey anywia near di end. In fact, we neva even start.
Gehad Hamdy
Disability rights advocate
"Judith Heumann don dedicate her life to fighting for di rights of disabled pipo. Afta she get polio as a child, she become di first wheelchair user to work as a teacher for New York City. "
She be internationally recognised leader of di disability rights movement, and her activism – including her involvement for di longest ever US federal building sit-in – don see her play ogbonge role for di implementation of major legislation. Heumann serve for both di Clinton and Obama administrations, and get 20 years of non-profit experience.
Na 2020 winner, disability activist Shani Dhanda nominate her
“I dey genuinely inspired by Judith, wey, for more than 30 years, don work to advance di human rights of disabled pipo globally. She remain tireless advocate and don be part of pivotal moments for di disability rights movement.”
Campaigner
Di sister of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, wey dem kill for one London park for September 2021, Jebina Yasmin Islam don become outspoken advocate for women street safety for di UK. She don campaign for changes to di law, so defendants need to appear in court for sentencing.
Afta her sister killing, Islam criticise di British goment lack of support, say e dey show how dem place little importance on male violence. She also speak out about racial discrimination - dem for don receive better treatment, she tok, if dia family be "normal British white family". Islam describe her sister as an "amazing role model" wey dey "powerful, fearless, and bright".
“Love yourself pass anyone on di planet.”
“Love yourself more than anyone on the planet.”
One message from Sabina Nessa journal, wey her her sister Jebina share
Protester
One of di iconic images of di current protest for Iran na dat of one young woman, dem feem from behind dey put her hair in ponytail, and dey prepare to continue to protest on di streets. Her foto become a symbol of di bravery of protesters, but dem mistake her her identity for Hadis Najafi, one 22-year-old woman dem kill during di ongoing demonstrations.
Speaking to BBC Persian, di real woman behind dis foto say she go "fight for pipo like Hadis Najafi and Mahsa Amini". Di Iranian regime, she tok say, "dem no dey scare us wit di threat of death. We get hope for Iran freedom."
Anti-slavery campaigner
Sold off to become a ‘fifth wife’ at di age of 12, dem enslave Hadizatou Mani under di wahaya practice, wey involves wen one influential man take one unofficial wife to serve im four legal wives. Afta dem legally free her for 2005, Mani remarry, but her former master accuse her of bigamy and sue her. Dem find her guilty and sentence her to six months for prison.
Mani challenge di ruling and Niger Supreme Court overturn her conviction for 2019, and sake of dat dem ban di wahaya practice. Now she don become anti-slavery advocate and dey use her platform to help oda women to escape.
Human rights lawyer
For 15 years, Oleksandra Matviichuk don lead di Center for Civil Liberties (CCL), wey don jointly award di 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for im work for documenting Russian war crimes afta di invasion of Ukraine.
Di CCL dey cari di legacy of di Ukrainian dissidents of di 1960s, dey focus on human rights. For 2014, di Center na di first human rights organisation to go to Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk to document war crimes. Now dem dey call for international tribunal to investigate Russia ontop alleged violations of human rights dem commit for Chechnya, Moldova, Georgia, Syria, Mali, and Ukraine.
Bravery no get gender.
Oleksandra Matviichuk
Human rights campaigner
Journalist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Narges Mohammadi na vice-president of di Defenders of Human Rights Center for Iran and don tirelessly campaign for di abolition of di death penalty. During di current demonstrations, she send one letter from Evin prison, dey ask di UN to stop di Iranian goment from issuing death penalty to protesters.
For 2010 dem sentence Mohammadi to 11 years for prison, later dem increase am to 16 years wen she give a speech while on bail, dey criticise di treatment of inmates for Evin. Her documentary White Torture torchlight solitary confinement, based on interviews wit 16 former prisoners. Her two children dey live in exile wit her husband, political activist Taghi Rahmani.
Activist
Days afta she take part for one January rally dey call for di right to education and work, Amerd men forcefully take Tamana Zaryab Paryani and her sisters from dia home. Inside international condemnation and calls for dia release, di Taliban deny say dem get hand for di mata.
She manage to feem her reactions to di arrest and post am online. Paryani viral video bring attention to female activists wey don dey disappear. She spend three weeks in custody before dem set her free. Now she dey live in Germany and, in solidarity wit di women of Afghanistan, she burn her headscarf, one move wey Afghan women see as controversial.
As di women of di world dey progress, di women of Afghanistan don push back 20 years. Twenty years of women' achievements wey dem don take away from dem.
Tamana Zaryab Paryani
Indigenous activist
" Climate campaigner, journalist and influencer, Alice Pataxó wan raise awareness about how di Brazilian goment recent environmental and agricultural policies dey threaten indigenous land rights. As a voice for di Pataxó pipo, she wan challenge colonial views about indigenous communities and shed light on di murders of environmental activists."
She be journalist for Colabora and dey create content for her YouTube channel Nuhé, one term wey dey mean di resilience of indigenous pipo for Brazil.
Na 2021 winner, education activist Malala Yousafzai nominate her
“I dey so proud to nominate Alice Pataxó for dis year BBC 100 Women list. Alice commitment to fight for climate action, gender equality, and indigenous rights give me hope say sustainable and more equal world dey possible.”
Activist
For September, one foto of Roya Piraei bin go viral. Her mama, 62-year-old Minoo Majidi, bin don dey protest in Kermanshah, di largest Kurdish-speaking city for Iran, wen security forces shoot and kill her. Piraei stand ontop her mama graveside as she shave her head, she hold her hair for her hand as she stand gidigba dey look camera .
Di anti-government protests wey don spread across Iran start for one Kurdish region afta di death of Mahsa Amini, one 22-year-old Kurdish woman. Piraei don since meet French President Emmanuel Macron to get international support for di ongoing protests.
Disability leader
Ukrainian human rights defender Yuliia Sachuk na head of Fight for Right, one organisation wey women wit disability dey lead. She launch one emergency response to Russia invasion of Ukraine, dey work around di clock to coordinate evacuation plans wit international organisations to save di lives of thousands of Ukrainians wey get disability.
Sachuk dey passionate about empowering girls and women wit disability to take part in decision-making. She dey part of di Obama Foundation Leader Europe program, na laureate of di National Human Rights Award 2020, and she be candidate for Ukraine on di UN Committee on di Rights of Persons wit Disabilities.
Peace campaigner
E don reach thirty years since war cause katakata for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Suvada Selimović now dey live for one village wey she help to rebuild, togeda wit oda displaced women wey return home. As widow and mother to small children, Selimovic found Anima, one organisation for peace activism and female empowerment.
Afta dem find di remains of her husband remains for one mass grave for 2008, she testify at di war crimes court and encourage oda women to do di same. Today, Anima host workshops for women wey dey deal with war trauma, and set up opportunities for dem to sell products wey dem dey make.
Volunteer
As di first transgender volunteer for di Israeli Police, activist Efrat Tilma answer emergency calls and work to improve di relationship between police forces and di LGBTQ+ community. Tilma run comot Israel as a teenager afta her family reject her and also experience police harassment. She undergo gender reassignment surgery for 1969 for Casablanca, wen dem largely ban di procedure for Europe.
She later become flight attendant for Berlin and marry. She return to Israel for 2005, afta her divorce, and see say di place dey more welcoming for sexual minorities, wey encourage her to volunteer wit di police.
Feminist activist
As di face of China MeToo movement, Feminists for China and audiences globally follow Zhou Xiaoxuan case. For 2018, she sue Zhu Jun, one star presenter for di state-owned CCTV broadcaster, accuse am of groping and forcibly kissing her during one 2014 internship. E deny di charges and sue her for defamation.
Dem later dismiss her case insufficient evidence and dem reject her appeal dis year for wetin some foreign media call a blow to China MeToo movement. Zhou Xiaoxuan now support women wey dem don sexually harass and she dey involved in highlighting feminist issues for China.
Medical doctor
Aye Nyein Thu na frontline volunteer for crisis areas of Myanmar, dey focus on di remote and poor Chin State. She build one makeshift hospital wit a small operating theatre for November 2021 and don since don dey treat sick and injured pipo.
For her spare time, she travel to oda regions wia medical treatment no too dey available, to support local patients including internally displaced pesins. In di course of her work, she don face charges by di Myanmar military say she dey ‘incite violence’, dem accuse her say she dey support local anti-government militia groups dem sabi as People's Defence Forces.
Aeronautical engineer
Sirisha Bandla bin go di edge of space as part of di historic 2021 Unity 22 mission, Virgin Galactic first fully crewed sub-orbital spaceflight – wey make her di second woman dem born in India to go to space.
Developing interest in space at an early age, Bandla bin go study aeronautical engineering fo di US. Now she be di Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations for Virgin Galactic, di role wey include working wit research customers to fly science and technology experiments on board VG’s SpaceShip.
Na 2016 winner, actress Sunny Leone nominate her
“For male-dominated industry, for Sirisha to overcome everything and push through based on just her hard work and dedication make her an inspiration to me and, more importantly, to all young girls wey dey out there wit similar dreams.”
Nurse and vaccine educator
Victoria Baptiste, one nurse for di US state of Maryland, dey teach pipo about vaccines. She understand why di black community fit dey suspect any medical interventions: Baptiste na descendant of Henrietta Lacks, one black woman wey die of cervical cancer for 1951 wey dem take her cells, without her consent, dat na di first dem go grow in a lab.
Known as HeLa cells, dem don use am in medical research ever since, but di family no know for decades. Now part of di Henrietta Lacks Foundation, Baptiste na also WHO Goodwill Ambassador for cervical cancer elimination.
Ecologist
Conservationist Niloufar Bayani na one of many environmentalists dem detain for Iran for 2018 afta e use cameras to track endangered species. Dem accuse dem of collecting classified information about strategically sensitive areas, and dem sentence Bayani to ten years in prison.
Bayani na di program manager of di Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation, dedicated to saving di Asiatic cheetah and oda species. For one document wey BBC Persian see, she tok say Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps subject her to “di most severe mental, emotional and physical torture and sexual threats for at least 1,200 hours”. Di Iranian authorities deny dis accuse.
Reproductive rights advocate
Philosophy student, writer and feminist activist, Sandy Cabrera Arteaga na defender of sexual and reproductive rights. She dey teach workshops about di morning-afta pill and na tok-tok pesin for ‘Hablemos lo que es’ (Let’s talk about what it is) - one educational campaign and digital platform about emergency contraception.
She also work for Acción Joven (Youth Action) wey focus on young pipo human, sexual and reproductive rights. She dey fluent in Honduran sign language and, as di only daughter of a single mother wey dey deaf, she dey proud of her inclusive and caring upbringing.
Tech entrepreneur
Although she never ever use computer until she become 17, programmer Samrawit Fikru na founder of Hybrid Designs, one of di companies behind Ethiopia taxi app RIDE.
Her own experience say she dey feel unsafe wen she take taxis afta work and say she need to haggle wit drivers wey wan charge her extra, lead her to create di app, wey she start wit less than $2,000 (around £1,700). Her company begin employ majority female staff. Na few women dey for Ethiopia tech industry and Fikru wan inspire di next generation of young female entrepreneurs.
Women-owned business dey grow in number; now we need more young girls to access di finances to make dia creative ideas happun.
Samrawit Fikru
Humanitarian aid worker
Humanitarian aid worker, Wegahta Gebreyohannes Abera na also di founder of Hdrina, one non-profit organisation wey aim to eradicate malnutrition wey di war for Tigray dey cause. Hdrina get a number of projects to help war-affected women and children, including one emergency feeding programme for one camp for internally displaced pipo (IDP) and one urban gardening project.
Di organisation dey also run one female empowerment project for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and women wey, as a result of poverty caused by di war, don become commercial sex workers.
Heart surgeon
Dem born her for Germany to Turkish migrant parents, Dr Dilek Gürsoy na leading heart surgeon and artificial heart specialist. She appear for di cover of Forbes magazine for Germany, wey appreciate her for being di first female surgeon for Europe to implant artificial heart.
She don dey di forefront of artificial heart research for more than a decade, working on di development of one alternative to heart transplantation sake of di low rates of organ donation, wit special focus on female anatomy. She don write autobiography and now dey in di process of starting her own heart clinic.
Conservationist
Committed to protecting biodiversity, biologist Sofía Heinonen lead di first efforts to turn back di extinction crisis for South America, wit di rewilding of di Esteros del Iberá, di main wetland ecosystem for Argentina and one of di world largest. She don spend more than 30 years dey contribute to di creation of protected areas.
Under her leadership, di Rewilding Argentina project dey active for four main ecoregions, including di Patagonian steppe, under one model wey look at turning private land into protected national parks and reintroducing native species to restore ecosystems and build sustainable ecotourism.
Climate campaigner
One ogbonge opponent of coal power, Kimiko Hirata don spend nearly half her life dey fight to wean Japan off im dependence on fossil fuels – by far di largest contributors to climate change. Her grassroots campaign make dem cancel 17 planned coal power plants. She be di first Japanese woman to win di Goldman Environmental Prize.
Hirata quit her job for one publishing house to become climate activist for di 1990s afta she read Al Gore book Earth in the Balance. Now she be di executive director of di independent organisation Climate Integrate, wey dem establish for January 2022, wey dey tackle decarbonisation.
Sign language interpreter
As an advocate of maternal mental health and wellness of deaf nursing mums, Judy Kihumba intervene to make healthcare information available to all women wen she realise say some hospitals for Kenya no get sign language interpreters.
She be di founder of Talking Hands, Listening Eyes on Postpartum Depression (THLEP) and dey help women wit impaired hearing in di joni of motherhood. Kihumba create di organisation afta she experience postpartum depression for 2019. Dis year dem organise di first group baby shower, wey bring togeda 78 deaf mothers wit healthcare practitioners and counsellors.
Climate entrepreneur
Green social entrepreneur and ecofeminist, Marie Christina Kolo dey part of Madagascar official delegation to COP27. She dey advocate on di human rights and gender aspects of climate change, as her kontri dey experience back-to-back droughts wey make million of pipo no fit food. Di UN don call am di world first climate-change-induced famine.
Kolo na regional director of di NGO People Power Inclusion, wey dey fight poverty through di green economy. Her social enterprise, Green’N’Kool, na leading national platform for climate justice. As a survivor of gender-based violence, she start di movement Women Break the Silence, wey dey fight against rape culture.
We no wan make dem dey see us only as poor victims of climate impact, patriarchy and violence. I feel so optimistic and proud wen I see say women dey struggle even wit all di difficulties.
Marie Christina Kolo
Paediatrician
Even as dem come under heavy shelling, Dr Iryna Kondratova and her team continue to care tirelessly for pregnant women, newborns and mothers for di Kharkiv Regional Perinatal Centre. Dem set up a labour ward for di basement of di hospital, and risk dia lives to stay wit intensive care babies dem no fit move, even as air raid sirens dey sound.
As head of di centre, Dr Kondratova take ova David Beckham Instagram for March, to highlight di challenges dem dey face. Her team don provide medical and psychological support to more than 3,000 women from Luhansk and Donetsk since 2014.
Destroyed na our homes, roads, power stations, hospitals - and lives. But our dreams, our hopes and our faith dey alive and stronger than ever.
Iryna Kondratova
Tech entrepreneur
Di idea for her business come afta Asonele Kotu wan make dem remove her own contraceptive implant, but no fit find anyone to help her. She then found FemConnect, one start-up wey dey provide technology solutions to alleviate period poverty and reduce teenage pregnancies.
Di platform allow users to access sexual and reproductive telemedicine wit no stigma or discrimination, as well as feminine hygiene products and contraceptives - and all di same way you go order food online. Kotu dey passionate about eradicating period poverty and to improve access to quality healthcare, especially for youth wey dey at-risk and those wey dey marginalised and underserved communities.
E dey beautiful to watch di determination of young pipo to create solutions to problems, to ensure say di next generation no experience di same struggle wey our parent experience.
Asonele Kotu
Cocoa entrepreneur
Aiming to reimagine di cocoa supply chain, Erika Liriano run one profit-sharing export start-up for di Dominican Republic. Liriano co-founded INARU wit her sister, Janett, wit di aim to make di production and distribution of cocoa fairer and more sustainable. Dis year, dia start-up get seed funding.
Historically, di cocoa industry dey exploit smallholder farmers but dia company dey ensure ethical sourcing and fair wages for Dominican producers. Born in New York, di sisters come from a family of farmers and entrepreneurs for di Dominican Republic. Dem partner wit women-run farms, cooperatives and suppliers across di kontri.
Di power to determine your own path, na something wey all humans suppose get right to, and dat one include di power of woman to choose di type of life she want for herself.
Erika Liriano
Psychologist
Trauma therapist Naja Lyberth na only 13 wen dem fit one intrauterine device (IUD), commonly known as a coil, on her as part of one birth control campaign wey Danish doctors carry out on Inuit Greenlanders during di 1960s and 70s. Dis year Denmark and Greenland formally agree to launch investigation into dis practices, wey fit don affect around 4,500 women and girls.
Lyberth dey campaign to help dis women, including pipo dem suspect say di coil fit don cause dem fertility issues. She don set up one Facebook group for women to connect and support each oda.
More and more women wey be survivors dey become role models for oda women. Speaking out dey most times make di fear disappear, wen you discover say dem go judge you. Dem no fit control us by our fears.
Naja Lyberth
Nurse
As head nurse for di main burns unit for Iraqi Kurdistan, Nigar Marf work include treating women wey get self-immolated, di act of setting oneself on fire. Dis practice still dey common among young women for di region, as a form of protest.
Marf don work for hospitals for around 25 years, both for paediatric burns and intensive care. For her ward she also treat patients wey get accidental burns. Many of di women wey she treat suffer mental and physical abuse before dem set themselves on fire; some of dem dey as young as 16.
Businesswoman
Na corporate lawyer-turned-entrepreneur, Monica Musonda na di founder and CEO of Java Foods, one Zambian-based food processing company and instant noodle manufacturer for di southern African region. Her vision na to produce affordable food products by taking advantage of Zambia strong wheat yields, plus di demand for more convenience foods and changing consumption patterns.
Musonda, wey be nutrition advocate, dey mentor many oda female entrepreneurs and dey speak out on issues wey dey affect women in business. She don win plenti award, and don gbab recognition for her work to strengthen Africa agricultural and food systems.
Public policy and tech specialist
Afta she breach her own non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to accuse her former employer Pinterest of gender and race discrimination, Ifeoma Ozoma dey determined to help employees fight mistreatment at work. She become di co-sponsor of di Silenced No More Act, wey dey allow every worker for California to share informate about discrimination or harassment regardless of signing NDA. Pinterest cari out one workplace review afta Ozoma allegations and say dem support di legislation.
Ozoma also create The Tech Worker Handbook, one collection of resources to help employees speak out, and also found Earthseed wey dey advise organisations on equity for di tech industry.
Paramedic
“Decorated Ukrainian civilian paramedic, and founder of Taira Angels, na volunteer medical unit wey dem credit wit saving hundreds of wounded civilians and military personnel. Russian forces capture Yuliia Paievska, wey pipo sabi as Taira for March, as dem dey help to evacuate civilians from Mariupol."
She dey use one body camera to document her team work for di besieged city, and give di video to di media. Upon her release three months later, Paievska tok about di harsh conditions and brutal treatment she face wen she bin dey in captivity, describe her detention as "hell".
Astronomer and astrophysicist
Nasa astrophysicist Dr Jane Rigby study how galaxies evolve over cosmic time. She be one of di key scientists for di international team wey launch and deploy di James Webb, di world largest space telescope. For July, di first full-colour fotos dem take by di Webb become di most detailed infrared view of di Universe to date.
Rigby don published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers and e don win plenti awards for her research. She also be advocate for equity and inclusion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
Wen I be student, I no dey aware of any LGBTQ role models. I hope I be part of di last generation wey grow up without queer role models to follow.
Jane Rigby
Engineer
As a computer engineer, ecofeminist, and CEO of one start-up, Ainura Sagyn don dey apply her skills to build technology-based solutions to environmental problems. She found Tazar, one app wey dey connect waste producers - everyone from households and individuals to restaurants, factories and construction sites - wit recyclers. Di app wan reduce di waste wey dey end up for landfills and eventually tackle di problem of sustainability for Central Asian kontris.
She don also lead workshops in coding and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) for ova 2,000 schoolgirls for different regions of Kyrgyzstan.
Without women leadership and participation for climate responses today, e no dey likely say we go fit realise solutions for a sustainable planet and a gender-equal tomorrow.
Ainura Sagyn
Reproductive justice activist
As executive director of SisterSong, di women-of-colour wey dey work togeda for reproductive justice for di southern US states, Monica Simpson focus on fighting for sexual and reproductive freedom. Di issue come back to spotlight dis year afta di US Supreme Court overturn di Roe v Wade ruling wey make access to legal abortion a right throughout di kontri.
Simpson na also singer and spoken word artist, dey mix her activism wit her art. She be certified doula and founding board member of di Black Mamas Matter Alliance, working to advance black maternal health.
Mathematician
Di Ukrainian mathematician wey don earlier dis year become only di second woman in history to win di prestigious Fields Medal - wey pipo dey often describe as di Nobel Prize of mathematics - wey dem dey give out every four years. Maryna Viazovska win di award for her work on a 400-year-old puzzle, dey solve di problem of how to pack spheres for di most efficient way into a space wit eight dimensions.
Based for di Swiss Federal Institute of Technology for Lausanne (EPFL), Viazovska na professor and Chair of Number Theory for di Institute of Mathematics.
Politician and frontline medical volunteer
"Saving lives on di frontline of di war, di Hospitallers na volunteer paramedic organisation. Led by Yana Zinkevych, dem dey work to comot pipo from di battlefield. Zinkevych become medical volunteer afta she leave school, and start di battalion for 2014 at di start of di hostilities for Ukraine.”
She don personally cari 200 wounded soldiers to safety. Her team continue to provide first aid to soldiers wey injure and civilians, dey conduct medical training, and don perform around 6,000 evacuations. Di 27-year-old na also one of di youngest members of di Ukrainian parliament and na head of di military medicine subcommittee.
BBC 100 Women dey name 100 influential and inspiring women around di world every year. We create documentaries, features and interviews about dia lives - tori wey put women at di centre.
Follow BBC 100 Women on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Join di conversation dey use #BBC100Women.
Di BBC 100 Women team draw up one shortlist based on names dem gada and those wey di BBC network of World Service languages teams plus BBC Media Action suggest. We bin dey look for candidates wey don make headlines or influence important tori ova di past 12 months, as well as pipo wey get inspiring tori to tell, or don achieve something significant or influence dia societies in ways wey no go necessarily make di news. We assess di pool of names against dis year theme- – progress dem don make across different areas ova di past decade.
"We explore topics wey split opinion, like reproductive rights wia one woman progress fit be draw back for anoda and nominate women wey don create dia own change. We also measure di list for regional representation and due impartiality, before we choose di final names."
Some of di women on di list appear anonymously or without a surname in order to protect dem and dia families, wit dia consent and following all BBC Editorial Policy and safety guidelines.
Produced and edited by: Lara Owen, Valeria Perasso, Georgina Pearce, Firouzeh Akbarian, Briar Wells, Ashley Lime, Rebecca Thorn, Sara Abou Bakr, Vibeke Venema, Amelia Butterly, Jo Adnitt, Daria Taradai, Diana Kuryshko, Soroush Pakzad, Mariam Aman and Mark Shea
BBC 100 Women editor: Claire Williams
Design: Prina Shah and Simon Martin
World Service Languages coordination: Carla Rosch and Rafael Chacón
Development: Alli Shultes and Shilpa Saraf
Illustrations: Davies Surya
Photo copyrights Photos by RHEA KANG/IFSC/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock, Sattar Foundation, Vadim Puzanov, Fight For Right, Yuliia Hrytsenko, EPFL / Fred Merz (Lundi13), Oleksandr Medvedev, Right Livelihood, Vlad Loktev, Alexandra Astakhova, Rina Mayer, Roconstudio, Virgin Galactic, Kaue Terena, Neha Balachandran, India Hartford Davis, Adria Malcolm, NASA/Bill Ingall, SisterSong, Burak Cingi/ Getty Images Europe, Jay McCarthy, Francesco Pistilli/KNA, You First Sports Marketing, Cebastian Miki Rosing /The Danish Institute for Human Rights, Lee hee hoon, The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Merit Society, Du Yang, Capoase / Yupp! Entertainment, Gagan Brar, Kaleem Dildar Sindhu, The Sandlord St Martin Trust, Simon Erath, Udi and Sagi Productions, Ayman Abu Ramouz, Albaraa Mansour, Tamara Hijazi, Karangwa Olivier, Karen Toro, CONFE, Amalia Escobar/El Universal, Rewilding Argentina, Rafa Canoba, Antônio Brasiliano, Denis Mayhua, Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de El Alto, Daniel Seth Pagel - Victoria Baptiste & The Lacks Family, Edgar Núñez, Darrel L Boye-Quaye / Dboye Creatives Inc, Malik Alymkulov, John Smith - Football Association of Wales, Loki Wu, Christopher Ogle.
...there we go.
Olena Zelenska: We go endure
Di women wey dey fight to be priests
Femicide detectives: 'Counting bodies na di best place to start'