Mahira Khan In BBC's 100 Most Influential Women List Of 2020

Pakistani film actress Mahira Khan grabs a place in BBC’s 100 most influential and inspiring women of the year 2020.  Social activist and a mother of 11-year-old son, Khan has been recognised for being outspoken about social issues like sexual harassment and racism.

BBC released a statement counting on the reasons for which Raees actress Khan has been conferred with this honour. It said, “Mahira Khan is no ordinary actress - she is outspoken against sexual violence, refuses to endorse skin-lightening creams and supports the fight against racism."

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Moreover, she has been recognised for her work as the national goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, appointed in November 2019. Under this role, Khan is raising awareness about the plights of the Afghan refugees settled in Pakistan. Last year, she had released a video that featured Reluctant Fundamentalist star Riz Ahmed, Cate Blanchett, Ben Stiller, Benedict Cumberbatch and other celebrities around the world who spoke about the plights of the refugees in different parts of the world. In the video, Khan said, “We're proud to speak up for refugees everywhere. We all have a part to play in helping somebody else., including me. What will yours be?"

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Khan has also been honoured for her popularity as an actor. BBC statement read, “She’s been a firm favourite with audiences ever since starting out as an MTV video jockey (VJ) in 2006.” It also added, “She wants to tackle social issues in her native Pakistan by changing the narrative in films and on TV.”

This year, two women from Pakistan have been listed in BBC's 100 women list. Apart from Mahira Khan, Sania Nishtar has also been featured in the list. She is a leader in global health and sustainable development and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection. Since the year 2018, Nishtar has been leading the Ehsaas Poverty Alleviation Programme in Pakistan which provided livelihood and improved the social status of many people in the country who were living below the poverty line.

Four Indian Women In BBC List Of 100 Women 2020

This year, the BBC list features women from different fields like sports, politics, acting, climate activism etc who brought a change in the turbulent time of the pandemic and other crisis that ravaged the world. The list of 100 women includes four powerful women from India who brought pride to the nation through their excellence in respective fields. And their names are Bilkis Bano, Manasi Joshi, Isaivani and Ridhima Pandey. Read further to know more about each woman. Moreover, one space in the list has been left empty as a tribute to all other women who have performed selfless service in this year.

Picture Credit: The Express Tribune

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