Creativity as a Driver of Change

These are some of the faces that made the BBC 100 Women list.

Houda Abouz

Young women like Houda Abouz are shaking up West Asia with rap music challenging male domination with their social-aware lyrics. She is an advocate of women's rights and gender equality. The 26-year old female rapper from Morocco has been rapping ever since she was a teen girl. In February of 2020, Abouz made her solo debut with the single "KickOff," a song that tries to break gender stereotypes.

Waad al-Kateab

Waad is an award-winning-film-maker, whose documentary "For Sama" won Best Documentary at the Cannes Film Festival. It tells her war experience's intimate and epic journey, tracking her life over five years in eastern Aleppo, including the siege's final stages. Waad and her husband Hamza are two Syrian refugees who risked everything to stay in Aleppo during the war.

Tsitsi Dangarembga

Dangarembga is an award-winning novelist, filmmaker, and gender activist. The Zimbabwean author has for many years been as involved in politics as in literature and film. She called for community activism to drive the vision for emancipation in dealing with the burden of race and gender in post-colonial order construction. Her most famous books are Nervous Conditions, The Book of Not, and This Mournable Body.

Also read: 11 Latinas on the Global List of the Most Inspiring and Influential

Karen Dolva

Dolva is the founder and CEO of the Norwegian firm No Isolation showing off the little robot aimed at helping isolated children; for example, they may be in the hospital and want to carry on with school work. Now, the entrepreneur is helping others to tackle loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to BBC, "To date, the company has created two products: AV1, a telepresence avatar aimed at tackling loneliness among children and young adults affected by long-term illness, and KOMP, a one-button communication device designed specifically for use by the elderly."

Jackie Kay

Jackie Kay is Scotland's "Makar," a Scots word that means national poet. The author is one of the UK's most acclaimed and popular literary stars. Revered for her challenging but accessible poetry, all infused with her distinctly Scottish sense of humor. Listening to Jackie's evocative words as stunning scenes of dramatic scenery, rich culture, and people unfold, it's clear her talent is an incredible gift.

Michelle Yeoh

The Malaysian actress often speaks out about the lack of Asian representation in Hollywood. She became well known for being James Bond's girl in Tomorrow Never Dies. She is one of the few females and Asian actresses who have achieved great fame and success thanks to her dedication and hard work. She also encourages women to reach out for help if they need it and always remind them that they are not alone.

These influential female leaders worldwide keep working hard to improve and inspire the women of their communities. Each of them leads to change and represent an unstoppable force.