A Human Rights activist, an autism-rights advocate: Meet the Indians on BBC’s 100 Women List 2021

The BBC has revealed that Manjula Pradeep and Mugdha Kalra from India are among the inspiring and influential women on the BBC 100 Women List 2021, which this year celebrates the women from every corner of the world who are hitting the reset button.

From climate activists and grassroots leaders, to international CEOs and global megastars, the list acknowledges those women playing their part to reinvent our society, our culture and our world - with half of this year’s list made up of women from Afghanistan.

The resurgence of the Taliban in August 2021 has changed the lives of millions of Afghan women – with girls banned from receiving secondary education, the ministry for women’s affairs being disbanded, and women in many cases told not to return to work. This year’s list recognises their stories, the scope of their bravery and their achievements as they reset their lives.

The women from India and Pakistan include:



India

Lawyer and activist for the rights of India’s most deprived communities Manjula Pradeep - From a Dalit family from Gujarat, Manjula Pradeep is known for her work against caste and gender discrimination and has been a member of the International Dalit Solidarity Network, highlighting Dalit rights at the UN World Conference Against Racism.

Autism rights activist Mugdha Kalra is a co-founder of ‘Not That Different’, a child-led movement which focuses on inclusion and understanding neurodiversity. She is behind a one-of-a-kind comic strip aimed at helping all children better understand autism and turning them into allies of their neurodiverse friends.

Pakistan

An activist in the disability movement Abia Akram has been working since 1997, when as a student she started the Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP). Founder of the National Forum of Women with Disabilities and has campaigned for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Inclusive Development.

Malala Yousafzai: A UN Messenger of Peace and the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who has spoken up for the right of young women to an education since she was 11. Malala began her activism blogging for the BBC about living under Taliban rule in Pakistan and their ban on girls attending school.

Other names on the BBC 100 Women list 2021 include:

Humanitarian and former fashion model Halima Aden: The first hijab-wearing supermodel, who stepped away from modelling in 2020 as she found it incompatible with her Muslim faith, but continues to make an impact within the fashion industry and beyond.

Fashion designer Vera Wang: A prominent bridal wear designer who has been at the forefront of fashion since the 1970s, Vera Ellen Wang has expanded her business to include fragrance, publishing, home design and more.

Actress, writer and producer Rebel Wilson: A Hollywood megastar who starred in the female-led comedy hit Bridesmaids, Oscar-winning Jojo Rabbit and the box-office hit trilogy Pitch Perfect, who will be directing her first feature film in 2022.

Founder of the Afghan Women’s Network, Mahbouba Seraj, who returned to her native Afghanistan in 2003 after 26 years in exile in the US and since then has co-founded and led a number of organisations fighting for women's and children’s rights. When the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, she stayed with her people and still courageously voices the concerns of Afghan women in local and international media.

Philanthropist and businesswoman Melinda French Gates: A global advocate for women and girls, who sets the direction and priorities of one of the world’s largest philanthropic organisations in her role as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Salima Mazari: One of only three female district governors in Afghanistan, Salima Mazari grabbed headlines this year as the fearless leader of a pro-government militia, fighting the Taliban on the frontlines.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: An acclaimed Nigerian author and feminist icon, whose work has been translated into over thirty languages. Her first novel, Purple Hibiscus (2003) won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and in 2013 her novel Americanah was named one of The New York Times’ top ten books. She recently wrote Notes on Grief (2021), a very personal tribute to her father after his sudden death.

Roya Sadat: A film producer and director who was the country’s first female director to emerge from the Taliban era and whose  films feature the voices of Afghan women. Her 2017 film A Letter to the President was selected as the Afghan entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards.

Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng is currently the United Nations’ special rapporteur on the right to physical and mental health - the first woman, the first African, and one of the youngest people to hold this position. She advocates for universal health access, HIV care and family-planning services.

Fatima Gailani: A prominent political leader and activist, who has been engaged in humanitarian work for the past 43 years, and is one of four female peace negotiators to sit with the Taliban in 2020, trying to seek a ‘fair political settlement’.

Mohadese Mirzaee: Afghanistan's first female commercial airline pilot, who took the controls of a Kam Air Boeing 737 for her country’s historic first flight with an all-female crew earlier this year.