The BBC has created a list of 100 women who have achieved significant success and influenced their society with their important and inspiring stories to tell. These women who led the change from all over the world have also impressed us. We want to share some of them.
Opal Tometi
She is a globally recognized awarded human rights advocate, strategist, and writer of Nigerian-American descent. She has been active in social movements for nearly 20 years and is widely known for her role as a co-founder of Black Lives Matter. Opal Tometi is one of the most influential human rights leaders of our time. She won her fight with the change in history.
“A true awakening has occurred. We all now know that to turn one's eyes away from injustice is to be complicit. I encourage everyone to stay courageous, committed, and connected to your community.”
Alicia Garza
Alicia is an American civil rights activist and writer known for co-founding the Black Futures Lab and the Black to the Future Action Fund. She has organized around the issues of health, student services, and rights, rights for domestic workers, ending police brutality, anti-racism, and violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people of color.
“Feet on the ground, head in the sky, eyes on the prize.”
Patrisse Cullors
She is an American artist and activist and also one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement. Patrisse is a speaker, motivator, and educator; a megaphone for the voiceless as she teaches others to organize and mobilize activism. She continues to fight against racial capitalism in her home city of LA.
“Never give up your power. Cultivate your joy. And demand change - not just for you - but the women who will come after you.”
Laleh Osmany
In Afghanistan, women's names are not used officially such as birth or death certificates, and not even on her tombstone. In 2017 she co-founded the #WhereIsMyName social media campaign to protest the law. Finally, this call has been accepted by the country and she pioneered the use of women’s names.
“Everyone has some responsibility to try and make the world a better place. Change is difficult, but not impossible. You see it in women who have fought for their identities in a very traditional country like Afghanistan.”
Hayat Mirshad
She is a co-founder and co-director at FE-MALE, a non-profit feminist collective. Hayat’s mission is to ensure girls and women have access to justice, information, protection, and human rights. She’s a feminist activist, journalist, and humanitarian in Lebanon. Hayat continues to spread her message through various platforms by organizing nationwide marches and rallying the masses to challenge corrupt, patriarchal regimes and demand change.
“Despite the challenges and setbacks, women throughout history have challenged and fought against the patriarchy. Through solidarity, sisterhood, and love, we will continue the fight, and amplify our voices and demands for a just and gender-equal future.”
Ilwad Elman
Since she’s 20, co-founding the first rape crisis center in Somalia for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, designing interventions aimed at security sector reform to create an inclusive space for women in peacebuilding, and developing programs for the disarmament and rehabilitation of child soldiers and adults defecting from armed groups for their socio-economic empowerment, rehabilitation, and reintegration. Now, she is a hero for many little girls and women.
“The pandemic gave the world a crash course in empathy. We witnessed women lead where others have failed. Women in leadership must no longer be deemed an optional second, but a fundamental priority.”
Vanessa Nakate
She is a climate justice activist at age of 24 and founder of the Africa-based Rise Up Movement. She campaigns internationally to highlight the impacts of climate change already occurring in Africa. She focuses particularly on how the climate crisis is exacerbating poverty, conflict, and gender inequality.
“Women often suffer the most from lockdowns and the climate crisis. But we are also the solution: educating and empowering women will draw down carbon, enhance disaster resilience, and create climate leaders for the future.”
Aisha Yesufu
She is a socio-political activist and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign with an advocacy group that brings attention to the abduction of over 200 girls from a secondary school in Nigeria, by the militant group Boko Haram.
“My advice to women is to fully and unapologetically take their place in the world. Women should stop asking for a place at the table – they should create their own table.”
It’s an honor to see that numerous leaders grow up at a young age and we are thanking them for not being silent about the wrong things the world had to go through.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laleh_Osmany
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicia_Garza
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrisse_Cullors
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_Nakate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisha_Yesufu
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-55042935