The BBC has revealed its list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2022.
Among them are the global music phenomenon Billie Eilish, the first lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, the actresses Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Selma Blair, the ‘tsarina of Russian pop’ Alla Pugacheva, the Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi, the athlete of triple jump Yulimar Rojas and the Ghanaian author. Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah.
This is the 10th season of 100 Women, so let’s take the opportunity to explore what advances have been made over the past decade. While there have been great strides forward for women’s rights, from the number of female leaders to the MeToo movement, for women in many corners of the world it still seems like there is a long way to go.
The list also reflects the role of women at the center of conflict around the world in 2022, from protesters bravely calling for change in Iran, to the female faces of conflict and resistance in Ukraine and Russia. For the first time this year, we’ve also asked the previous 100 women to nominate others they thought deserved a spot on the 2022 list.
Learn more about 100 Women by selecting an area of interest
Maeen Al-Obaidi, Yemen
lawyer
As Yemen’s civil war has turned more violent this year, lawyer Maeen Al-Obaidi remains focused on building peace in the besieged city of Taiz. She has taken on the role of mediator, facilitating prisoner exchanges between conflicting groups. Although he does not always succeed in getting the fighters back to their families alive, he tries to ensure that the bodies of the dead are returned.
She has volunteered at the Yemen Women’s Union, where she advocated for imprisoned women. She was also the first woman promoted to the Council of the Bar Association, overseeing the human rights and liberties committee.
Fatima Amiri, Afghanistan
student
Fatima Amiri, an Afghan teenager, is one of the survivors of a suicide bombing at a school in Kabul that killed more than 50 people, mostly students. He suffered serious injuries, including the loss of an eye and severe damage to his jaw and ear.
While recovering, he studied for the university entrance exams and took them in October, scoring over 85%. Her dream is now to study computer science at Kabul University and she says losing her eye in the attack has only made her stronger and more determined.
Nathalie Becquart, Vatican
nun
Her appointment by Pope Francis as undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops made her the first woman to hold this position. In the role, she is one of the many leaders who advise the pope on matters important to the Catholic Church, as well as being the only woman with the right to vote. The body’s secretary-general said in 2021 that her appointment showed that “a door has been opened” for women.
Previously, the French nun of the Congregation of Xavier was the first woman director of the National Service for the Evangelization of Youth and Vocations in France.
As Pope Francis states, “it is a duty of justice to fight against all discrimination and violence” against women… Together, we must support in any way we can to involve more women in leadership positions at all levels.
Nathalie Becquart
Taisia Bekbulatova, Russia
Journalist
A renowned Russian journalist, Taisia Bekbulatova founded the independent media outlet Holod in 2019. The organization has reported extensively on the war in Ukraine, as well as published stories on inequality, violence and women’s rights. The website was blocked in Russia by authorities in April, during a crackdown on independent media.
Despite this, Bekbulatova and her team have pledged to continue their work and have seen their readership grow. Bekbulatova, who left Russia in 2021 after being branded a “foreign agent”, has traveled to Ukraine to report on the war from the front.
I don’t believe in inevitable progress. Modern civilization has always seemed fragile and easy to destroy. And women’s rights are usually the first to disappear.
Taisia Bekbulatova
Kristina Berdynskykh, Ukraine
Journalist
During the war in Ukraine, award-winning journalist Kristina Berdynskykh traveled across her country, reporting from regions that had been bombed by the Russians. Some of his work has focused particularly on the details of everyday life in a city in conflict.
Born in Kherson, Berdynskykh has worked as a political journalist for 14 years in Kyiv, including NV magazine and various TV and radio projects. He created e-People, a social media project about participants in Ukraine’s Euromaidan revolution that later became a book.
Maria Fernanda Castro Maya, Mexico
Disability activist
As a woman with an intellectual disability, Fernanda Castro fights so that others like her can participate in politics. He is part of a group of disability rights advocates, supported by Human Rights Watch, that calls on all political parties in Mexico to include people with intellectual and learning disabilities in their policies.
His work covers linguistic accessibility in documents about political decisions, and inclusion in political parties and electoral events. Castro was part of a Mexican delegation to the United Nations that presented a report on disability rights and is a representative of the global network Inclusion International.
Chanel Contos, Australia
Sexual consent activist
Founder of a movement called “Teach Us Consent” that lobbies for holistic consent and sex education, in 2021 Chanel Contos posted an Instagram story, asking her followers if they or someone they knew had been sexually assaulted to school. In 24 hours more than 200 people had answered “yes”.
He launched a petition calling for prior consent education in Australia. Thanks to her campaign, consent education will be compulsory in all schools from Kindergarten to Year 10 from 2023. She is now educating people about non-consensual condom removal , or storage, in addition to campaigning to criminalize the act.
Eva Copa, Bolivia
Politician
Former student leader of Aymara origin, Eva Copa is shaking up politics in Bolivia. After failing to win her party’s nomination for mayor of El Alto, the country’s second largest city, she ran against her candidate and won with 69% of the vote. She recently announced the city plan for women, which will aim to strengthen women’s rights through policies and investments.
Copa is not new to politics, having served as a senator from 2015 to 2020. Her split from the ruling party is seen by many as a shift towards a more diversified political landscape in Bolivia.
We need more women leaders: women always on their feet, never on their knees.
Eva Cup
Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Nigeria
Law…