Muscat: Oman's Rumaitha al Busaidy joined Former US First Lady Michelle Obama, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and Hollywood star America Ferrera in a list celebrating inspirational and influential women from around the world.
The BBC 100 Women announcement marked a season of "specially commissioned content and documentaries" - including an exclusive conversation about tackling child marriage with humanitarians Obama, Clooney and Melinda French Gates due to air on BBC News on November 25.
According to BBC, Women and Girls, You Are Part of the Climate Solution is the title of Omani scientist Rumaitha al Busaidy's 2021 TED Talk, which has garnered more than a million views and reflects her championing of Arab women's rights.
Al Busaidy's expertise has led to her position on the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change and the Environment Society of Oman.
She has also advised the Biden administration on delivering climate-informed foreign aid, and the government of Greenland on sustainable tourism.
She is the youngest Omani woman to reach the South Pole and the founder of WomeX, a platform to help Arab women develop business negotiation skills.
She said, "The number one solution to overcome climate change is to empower women and girls. The multiplier effect they have across their communities will change perceptions and actions and protect this place we call home."
A Passion for Gender Equity, Sustainability & Sports
Rumaitha is a marine scientist, an advocate for environmental youth leadership and the biggest champion for Arab women. She is also an award-winning radio presenter and sportswoman.
She is the youngest Omani to step foot on the South Pole and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and Damavand. She has visited all the 7 continents of the world, swimming in the five oceans and over 70 countries solo.
Witnessing a knowledge gap in increasing the effectiveness of women in the current workforce, Rumaitha founded WomeX; a 21st-century platform combining AI and culturally-relevant mentoring for women to achieve their 10x potential. WomeX is on a mission to empower women by developing their growth mindset through building a culturally-relevant community of creators and rule-breakers by providing boosters for women to enhance wellness confidence, self-esteem, and professional growth.
The BBC 100 Women team drew up a shortlist based on names they gathered through research and those suggested by the BBC's network of World Service Languages teams, as well as BBC Media Action.
BBC looked for candidates who had made headlines or influenced important stories over the past 12 months, as well as those who have inspiring stories to tell, or have achieved something significant or influenced their societies in ways that wouldn't necessarily make the news.
A pool of names was also assessed against this year's theme – climate change and its disproportionate impact on women and girls around the world, from which a group of 28 Climate Pioneers and other environmental leaders were selected.
The list was also measured for regional representation and due impartiality before the final names were chosen. All women have given their consent to be on the list.
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