Ezeilo, Faborode Make BBC List of 100 World Inspiring Women

Two Nigerians, Joy Ezeilo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and Ibijoke Faborode, co-founder of ElectHER, a Non-Governmental Organisation addressing female under-representation in politics across Africa, have been listed among the BBC’s 2022 list of 100 world inspiring and influential women.

BBC announced this in a statement on Tuesday. The BBC’s list of 100 women started in 2013 as an annual series featuring inspiring and influential women worldwide.

BBC said the women were selected from various professional categories, including music, sports, and politics. According to BBC, those for 2022 were chosen by the women selected in 2021.

Ezeilo, an international human rights expert, Emeritus Dean of Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and former United Nations (UN) special rapporteur on trafficking in persons, was nominated by Chimamanda Adichie, a Nigerian writer.

While commending Ezeilo for her contribution to women across the continent, Adichie said she has “impacted many lives through the provision of free legal aid to the poor, especially to women and girls, whose human rights have been violated.”

As the founding director of the Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Ezeilo is said to have supported about 60,000 vulnerable women in Nigeria, including victims of abuse, with free legal assistance and shelter in the past 25 years.

For Faborode, through ElectHER, she is disrupting the women’s political movement in Nigeria. Her organisation works to bridge inequality gaps in political representation and has engaged more than 2,000 women in politics across Africa.

With the #Agender35 campaign, her organisation is directly backing 35 women running for local, state or federal office in the 2023 general elections, providing human and financial resources. She is also behind the first African feminist mobile app for election data analysis.

Faborode currently serves in the Leadership Council of The Democracy and Culture Foundation, which identifies new ways to improve democratic processes.

BBC director-general, Tim Davie, commended the women for their outstanding work.

“It’s wonderful to see this year’s list of 100 Women, and to be celebrating its 10th season. The women on this year’s list are all remarkable in what they have achieved and contributed to their communities and society, and I am proud that the BBC continues to do vital work by shining a spotlight on them and sharing their stories around the world through our first-class journalism and storytelling,” he said.

Liliane Landor, senior controller of BBC News InternaCounciltional Services and Director of BBC World Service, said the list is a way of recognising the efforts of women doing outstanding work across the world.

“In the 10th year of 100 Women, it is brilliant to see how the annual season has gone from strength to strength. I remember our launch and very first intake of 100 Women – little did we know how much the project would grow,” Landor added.

“I’m delighted to see the women featured on this year’s list. They, like all the women before them, have contributed to our world in incredible ways, and we celebrate this. This is about increasing visibility and giving recognition where it’s due.

“With this year also being the 90th anniversary of BBC World Service, I am glad that 100 Women continues our commitment to reporting and telling the stories of people’s lives from all over the world.”