BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list?

The BBC has revealed the names of the trailblazing women on this year’s 100 Women List, celebrating inspirational and influential women from across the globe - from high profile names to unsung heroes

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In a year of unprecedented turbulence, this year’s theme is How Women-Led Change in 2020, and celebrates some of the scientists, public health experts, and healthcare workers who have helped us weather the storm of the global pandemic, as well as women from other industries who have all been leaders of change in their own way - from politicians, lawyers and architects to actors, writers, athletes, singers and those who have sought to improve the lives of others in their community.

Some of the most recognisable names on the list include:

US actor Jane Fonda (82). A two-time Academy award-winner who has been at the forefront of social activism for over 50 years, lending her voice to causes ranging from women’s rights, fair pay for tipped workers and most recently launching Fire Drill Fridays with Greenpeace USA to educate and protest the climate crisis.

Sanna Marin (35) - Prime Minister of Finland and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland and heads a coalition government that has been formed with four other parties, all led by women.

Malaysian actor Michelle Yeoh (58) - Secured the role of Marvel's first Asian-led superhero movie, Shang-Chi, and often speaks about the lack of Asian representation in Hollywood.

Politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (38) - Former presidential candidate in Belarus, where she led a national democratic movement.

Pakistani actor Mahira Khan (35) - Bollywood star who is outspoken against sexual violence, refuses to endorse skin-lightening creams and supports the fight against racism.
Other names on the list include:

Syrian film-maker Waad Al-Kateab (29) - Activist, journalist and award-winning film-maker who has received numerous accolades for her news reports in Aleppo and was nominated for the Academy Award for best documentary feature in 2020 her first feature, For Sama.

Dr Jeong Eun-kyeong (55) - Current commissioner of the Korea Disease Control And Prevention Agency who has led South Korea’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and been described as a “virus-hunter”.
Campaigner Christina Adane (17) - Behind the UK petition for free school meals over the summer holidays, which footballer Marcus Rashford supported.

UK Scientist Sarah Gilbert (58) - Trained in microbiology, biochemistry, molecular virology and vaccinology, Sarah has been working to develop vaccines against emerging diseases since 2014.

Brazilian transgender model Lea T (39) - A pop-culture icon of transgender advocacy, speaking up about discrimination against LGBT people and calling for society to tackle it.

US astronaut Kathy Sullivan (69) - Holds the distinction of being the first American woman to walk in space and dive to the deepest point in the ocean, making her the most vertical person in the world.

UK Professor Dame Elizabeth Anionwu (73) - Groundbreaking sickle cell and thalassemia nurse who campaigned for a statue of British-Jamaican nurse Mary Seacole and is a key figure in highlighting the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities.

Bulelwa Mkutukana (Zahara) (32) - Singer-songwriter who has used her platform to speak out about violence against women in South Africa.

Agnes Chow (23) - Pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong and a key figure during the 2014 Umbrella Movement. This year she was one of a handful of activists arrested under a controversial new security law imposed by Beijing.

Fang Fang (65) - Award-winning Chinese author who has produced more than 100 works. This year, she began documenting events in Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak first emerged.
The full BBC 100 Women List 2020 will be published here on 24 November 00:01 GMT: www.bbc.com/100women

For the first time, this year’s List will see the 100th spot left blank to honour all the women who made an impact and a sacrifice in this extraordinary year, and allow our audiences to fill it with someone meaningful to them.

Notes to Editors

100 Women was established in 2013 as an annual series focused on a list of 100 inspirational women. The list was supported by news, features, investigations and interviews highlighting the work of these women, targeting female audiences. In 2016 100 Women site generated 30 million hits over three weeks and was awarded an Alliance for Women in Media Gracie award. The project was also a finalist for the US Peabody Awards 2017 and scooped many other accolades.

BBC 100 Women Masterclasses

Also announced today is the schedule for the BBC 100 Women Masterclasses taking place on 30 November - a day of inspirational talks, mind-expanding workshops and ‘how to sessions’ streamed on the BBC website and BBC 100 Women Facebook pages from 13:00GMT to 17:30GMT. Guided by expert speakers including those featured on the 100 Women List, sessions will tackle topics such as money management, public speaking, sustainable living, mental health self-care, and practical tools and tips for our everyday lives.

The programme for the day includes:

BBC 100 Women in conversation: with Black Lives Matter founders Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi

Protests against racism have made headlines in 2020, but how does real cultural change actually come about? The three women behind BLM discuss how their initial posts on social media turned into a global phenomenon and what they envisage for the future.

Masterclasses

Tips and tools for your everyday life, by BBC 100 Women

Rewriting The Script - Making Kids’ Bedtime Stories More Diverse… And Less Sexist
Equality starts at home, and most of the story books and fairy tales we tell our children are sexist and don’t represent the diverse world we live in. Get tips from storytellers and artists on how to choose wisely from the bookshops’ shelves and how to create your own non-sexist, more inclusive stories.

Make Yourself Heard – How To Fnd Your Voice And Beat The ‘Gender Say Gap’
Do you feel you need to speak up and find a voice that is true to you? Hear the experiences of women overcoming hostility on the work Zoom, learning to command a room, and cleverly putting down micro-aggressions. And not just at work – in their personal lives and the online world too.

Money, Money, Money – How To Make Your Cash Work For You
How can women build up their financial resilience? Our financial experts will show ways to plan and make ends meet, set yourself saving goals, and make the most of what you earn. Ensure your financial independence with some neat tricks.

Turn Up the Volume, Girl! - How To Create (And Listen To) Tunes That Empower You
Africa’s music queen and three-time Grammy Award-winner Angélique Kidjo, Grammy-winning solo rapper Ana Tijoux and fierce drummer and ‘electrofeminist’ Madame Gandhi will curate a list of 'must-listen' anthems to play out loud and dance to.

They’ll get the party started with Radio 1Xtra’s Jamz Supernova and share their advice on how to make it in a male-dominated industry.

Learn something new… fast!

A series of six-minute masterclasses from some of the women on this year’s list.

  1. Get your mental health fix in five minutes for free - a lesson in better self-care

by Dr Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu, psychiatrist and developer of a group therapy programme to tackle depression symptoms.

  1. Five top tips to live a greener life

By landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom, who works on projects that promote urban resilience to climate change, including Asia´s largest urban rooftop garden and a new green space in an unused elevated rail line that opened in Bangkok during the Covid-19 pandemic.

  1. Want to help build a more inclusive world? Stop being a friend and become an ally

by Shani Dhanda, founder and leader of Diversability + Asian Disability Network, and award-winning disability specialist listed as one of the UK's most influential disabled people.

  1. How to stay social and beat 'lockdown loneliness'

by Karen Dolva, CEO of the start-up No Isolation, who has made it her mission to help others, from young children to seniors, to cope with feelings of loneliness.

You can join in the conversation on the BBC 100 Women social channels: @bbc100women on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and share your experiences using the hashtag #BBC100WMasterclass.

The announcement of the list kicks off BBC’s 100 Women 2020 - shining a spotlight on women’s experiences around the world with a week of special interviews, inspirational masterclasses, documentaries, features and digital content across the BBC’s UK and international TV and radio services and online.

Source BBC Radio 4

November 24, 2020 11:21am ET by BBC Radio 4  

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