Afroze-Numa, Neha Mankani: Two Pakistani women shine among BBC's 100 inspiring women of 2023

As per its annual tradition, BBC has released the names of 100 “inspiring and influential women” across the world, recognising their contributions to society. The list, unveiled on Tuesday, extended placement to two Pakistani women, Wakhi shepherdess Afroze-Numa and midwife and women’s health advocate Neha Mankani.

The two women feature alongside prominent figures such as former US First Lady Michelle Obama, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, Ballon d'Or-winning footballer Aitana Bonmatí, AI expert Timnit Gebru, feminist icon Gloria Steinem, Hollywood star America Ferrera, and beauty mogul Huda Kattan. 

BBC acknowledged Afroze-Numa’s community efforts as “one of the last Wakhi shepherdesses”, sustaining the historic tradition to day. Dedicating almost thirty years of her life to caretaking of goats, yaks and sheep, her name underscores the cultural and economic significance of the family trade, now facing extinction in Pakistan’s Shimshal valley.

Wakhi shepherdesses lead their flocks to high-altitude pastures at 4,800 meters (16,000 feet) above sea level. In this rugged terrain, they craft dairy products for barter while ensuring their animals graze. The revenue generated has brought prosperity to the village, enabling them to afford education for their children.

Mankani was commended for her climate catastrophe relief efforts, particularly in the wake of calamitous floods that struck Pakistan last year. The midwife-social worker ventured to affected areas to lend her expertise in navigating “low-resourced settings, emergency response and climate-affected communities”.

Founder of Mama Baby Fund, Mankani and her team delivered life-saving birthing kits and midwifery assistance to over 15,000 families affected by the floods. The maternal care charity plans to initiate a boat ambulance service to ensure the safe transportation of pregnant women residing in coastal communities.

Speaking to BBC, Mankani expressed, “The work of midwives in communities facing climate-related disasters is vital. We are both first responders and climate activists, who make sure women can continue to receive the reproductive, pregnancy, and postpartum care they need, even when the situation around them is deteriorating.”

Other than Mankani, the list names 28 Climate Pioneers to stress the urgency of climate change-related disasters and the need for mitigation and adaptation efforts. 2023 witnessed a rapid surge in phenomena such as extreme heat and floods, hitting already marginalised communities the hardest. 

“100 Women” is a multi-format series by BBC established in 2013. The yearly series explores the evolving roles of women in the 21st century. Aside from ‘climate pioneers’, categories include ‘culture and education’, ‘science, health and tech’, ‘entertainment and sport’, and ‘politics and advocacy’. 

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