Bangladesh student Sanjida, fighting child marriage, is on BBC 100 Women list

Notable names on the BBC 100 Women list include global music phenomenon Billie Eilish and actress and producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Sanjida Islam Choya’s organisation has so far prevented 50 child marriages. Photo: BBC

The BBC has named Bangladeshi student Sanjida Islam Choya on its 100 Women list of 2022 for her fight against child marriage.

Notable names on the list published on Tuesday include global music phenomenon Billie Eilish and actress and producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas

From sport, Iranian climber Elnaz Rekab who recently made waves in her home country for competing in South Korea without wearing a headscarf, is also on the list.

The BBC said Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, but Sanjida is trying to change that.

Her own mother was married at a young age, but after Sanjida was inspired by a school presentation on the effects of child marriage, she decided to act.

She and her friends, teachers and collaborators call themselves Ghashforing, meaning Grasshoppers, and report incidents of child marriage to the police.

Sanjida’s work with Ghashforing has not stopped and she mentors new members of the group while studying at university.

So far they have reportedly prevented 50 child marriages, according to the BBC.

From the world of politics, Ursula von der Leyen - the first female president of the European Commission, Mia Mottley - the first female prime minister of Barbados and Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, also make the list.

For the first time this year, the BBC has asked some of the previous 100 Women to nominate women they feel deserve a place on the 2022 list.

South Korean film producer and cultural leader Miky Lee was highlighted by last year’s nominee Rebel Wilson, while Malala Yousafzai nominated Alice Pataxó, a climate campaigner, journalist and influencer from Brazil.

Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, said: “It’s wonderful to see this year’s list of 100 Women, and to be celebrating its tenth 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.”