100 Women is a BBC multi-format series established in 2013. The annual series examines the role of women in the 21st century and has included events in London^[1] and Mexico.^[2][3] Announcement of the list is the start of an international "BBC's women season", lasting three weeks including broadcast, online reports, debates and journalism on the topic of women.^[4] Women around the world are encouraged to participate via Twitter and comment on the list, as well as on the interviews and debates that follow release of the list.^[5]

After the 2012 Delhi gang rape, then BBC Controller Liliane Landor,^[6] BBC editor Fiona Crack^[7] and other journalists, were inspired to create a series focusing on the issues and achievements of women in society today.^[8] They felt that many of the issues women faced were not getting in-depth coverage, and in March 2013 a "flood of feedback from female listeners" was received by the BBC to the effect that the corporation should provide more "content from and about women."^[9]

The BBC launched this series in 2013 to address the under-representation of women in the media.^[8][10] Women to participate in the first programme were chosen by survey in 26 different language services.^[9] Programming ran over the course of a month, culminating in a conference held on 25 October, in which 100 women from across the world discussed issues they shared. A wide range of topics were debated covering employment challenges, feminism, motherhood, and religion,^[11] to examine both the cultural and social challenges women faced in living their lives.^[12]

The series has since covered many topics, including education, healthcare, equal pay, genital mutilation, domestic violence, and sexual abuse^[13] and seeks to provide women with a platform to discuss how to improve the world and eliminate sexism.^[14] Women included on the list are from around the globe, and involved in diverse fields of endeavour.^[15] Women who are already famous are included, as well as people who are less known.^[16][17]