The BBC's “100 Women 2024” list includes 2 Ukrainians, 2 Israelis, 1 Lebanese, 4 Palestinian Territories and 1 Israel/Palestinian Territories.

Founder of the Superhumans Center

After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Olga Rudneva felt the need to help the wounded at the front.

For her, people who lost limbs in combat were not just victims. She called them “superhumans” and believed that they deserved maximum support.

Olga founded a trauma center in Lviv Superhumanswhere he works as General Director along with a team of specialists. The center deals with prosthetic limbs, and recently opened a rehabilitation department there.

In the first two years of operation, more than 1,000 people used the center’s services.

Israeli women and the role of Jewish society

Israel is represented by two women whose stories represent the country's cultural and social diversity. Among them:

• Women's rights activist in academiafighting for equality in high-tech industries.
• Community leaderactively supporting interethnic dialogue in difficult social conditions.

Both Israelis reflect the spirit of innovation and reconciliation that is so needed in the modern world.

Anat Goffman, Israel

Religious activist

Anat Goffman has been fighting for gender equality and religious pluralism in Judaism for decades.

She is one of the founders of the group “Women of the Wall” Women of the Wall, which advocates for equal prayer rights for Jewish women at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. For years, Goffman has spoken out against rules that prohibit women from wearing prayer shawls and reading from the Torah in groups.

For 20 years, she served as executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center, the legal and advocacy arm of the Reform movement that works to advance equality and social justice.

Previously, Anat Goffman was a member of the Jerusalem City Council, where she actively opposed ultra-Orthodox policies.

Eynav Zangauker, Israel

Hostage release activist

Eynav Zangauker has become a symbol of the fight for the return of Israeli hostages. Her 24-year-old son Matan, the family's only child, was taken hostage during the Hamas attacks on October 7. Her son's partner, Ilana, was kidnapped separately but was soon released in a prisoner exchange.

Since then, Zangaucker has been active in bringing attention to the hostage crisis. It organizes demonstrations every week and demands concrete action from leaders. Although she previously voted for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party, Einav has publicly criticized the Israeli cabinet for failing to ensure the return of captured citizens home.

Einav also advocates for an immediate ceasefire to ensure the safe release of the remaining hostages.

“Israel/Palestinian Territories”

Danielle Kantor, Israel/Palestinian Territories

Cultural activist

Danielle Kantor is one of the founders of the project “Culture of Solidarity”launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. This project supported the residents of Tel Aviv by providing food and humanitarian aid. Together with Alma Beck, her co-founder, she runs House of Solidarity — a space for meetings, cultural events, debates and master classes.

Danielle recently presented her project Spreads — a fiction book dedicated to the study of identity politics through the prism of the culinary culture of communities in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Kantor is also actively involved in Collective women's sit-in for peacedemanding an immediate ceasefire and a sustainable peace agreement in the Middle East. Her position is based on the belief that women's empathy can help identify injustices and pave the way for positive change.

Lebanon

Christina Assi, Lebanon

Photojournalist

Christina Assi is a famous photojournalist whose life was closely connected with war and conflict. She grew up in Lebanon in the 1990s, during an era of instability following the civil war. This difficult period inspired her to document conflicts and tell stories about the invisible sides of war.

In October 2023, Assi experienced a tragic incident. She was seriously injured during an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon. As a result of the same attack, her fellow journalist Issam Abdallah was killed and five other media workers were wounded. Christina's leg was later amputated.

This tragic experience motivated her to speak out for the safety of journalists. In 2024, Assi took part in the Olympic torch relay in Paris, dedicating this moment to the memory of all the journalists who died doing their work.

Palestinian territories