Kenyan sign language interpreter Judy Kihumba, award winning Ghanaian writer Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah and Rwandan referee Salima Mukansanga have been included in the BBC’s list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2022.
Other notable names on the BBC 100 Women list include global music phenomenon Billie Eilish, actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, actress and disability activist Selma Blair and ‘West Side Story’ Hollywood icon Rita Moreno.
BBC 100 Women celebrates the achievements of women internationally, from grassroots volunteers to global leaders.
Judy Kihumba
As an advocate of maternal mental health and wellness of deaf nursing mums, Judy Kihumba intervened to make healthcare information available to all women when she realized that some hospitals in Kenya didn’t have sign language interpreters. She is the founder of Talking Hands, Listening Eyes on Postpartum Depression (THLEP) and helps women with impaired hearing in the journey of motherhood. Kihumba created the organization after experiencing postpartum depression herself in 2019.
Salima Mukansanga
Salima Rhadia Mukansanga, was picked by FIFA as one of the first three women referees to officiate at a men’s World Cup in Qatar 2022 – the first time the tournament had women in the role in its 92 years. Last January, she became the first woman to referee a match at the men’s Africa Cup of Nations, and she also officiated at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Before working in sport, she trained as a midwife.
Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
Her book The Sex Lives of African Women has been described as “an astonishing report on the quest for sexual liberation”, in a dazzling review by Publishers Weekly. Writer and feminist activist is also co-founder of Adventures from the Bedrooms of African Women – a website, podcast and festival that creates content to recount the experiences of African women around sex, sexualities, and pleasure.
Billie Eilish
At the age of 20, Billie Eilish is the first singer born in the 21st century to hit number 1 in the Billboard charts and win an Oscar. She has more than 200 million followers across her social media. We exclusively join her for the last night of her world tour to talk fame, imposter syndrome and identity for BBC 100 women.
Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra Jonas is one of Bollywood’s biggest film stars. After her movie debut in 2002, the former Miss World’s breakthrough in Hollywood came as she made history as the first South Asian actress to lead an American network drama series (Quantico, 2015). She has established her own production company, making films in India. Chopra is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, campaigning for children’s rights and education for girls.
Olena Zelenska
Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska has spoken with BBC 100 Women about feminism, the impact of the current war on mental health, and what victory looks like. She also shared deeply personal insights in terms of how she feels finding herself in the role of first lady.
Mia Mottley
As the first female prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley won a second term in office after a landslide victory, in January. She has led the Barbados Labour Party since 2008. She guided the Caribbean Island as it cut ties with the British royal family, removing the monarch as head of state, and becoming the world’s newest republic. Mottley is known for being outspoken about climate change.
Selma Blair
Known for her roles in pop-culture classics Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde and the Hellboy franchise, Selma Blair is an American film and television actress. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018 and has been praised for raising awareness of the condition, talking candidly about her health journey and the challenges she faces.
100 Women was established in 2013 as an annual series focused on a list of 100 inspiring and influential women. The list is supported by features, investigations and interviews highlighting the work of these women.
