In Michelle Bachelet, Chile's First Woman President, learn how Michelle Bachelet challenged traditional expectations in a conservative country. As an atheist and a divorced single mother, she promoted gender equality by appointing an equal number of men and women to her cabinet, reshaping leadership norms. This video is excerpted from BBC's Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
In Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of Lithuania, learn how Grybauskaitė rose to leadership in a country shaped by Soviet control and conflict. Although she never planned to become a leader, she accepted the responsibility and later defended Lithuania’s independence with confidence, even when facing powerful leaders who expected her to be afraid. This video is excerpted from BBC's Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
In Julia Gillard, Education Advocate, listen as the former Australian Prime Minister reflects on her leadership and her work to expand education opportunities for girls worldwide. Drawing from her family’s experience with poverty and limited schooling, she advocates for equal access to education while facing criticism and gender bias during her political career. This video is excerpted from BBC's Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
In Chhavi Rajawat, Local Leader in India, learn how Rajawat left her corporate career to serve her rural community in India. After new quotas increased opportunities for women leaders, she took on a mayor-like role to help address poverty and challenges faced by villagers, especially women. This video is excerpted from BBC's Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
Meet Seven Women Leaders From All Around the World Who Broke Barriers.
They navigated crisis, criticism, and political pressure. They were pioneers, reformers, and power brokers — but they were also complex figures shaped by culture, controversy, and the eras in which they governed. In honor of Women’s History Month, this video playlist explores influential leaders from around the globe through BBC clips featuring Hillary Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, Michelle Bachelet, and more.
From national parliaments to international financial institutions, these women led in vastly different political systems and cultural landscapes. Some championed social reform. Others advanced market-driven policies. All faced intense scrutiny — not only for their decisions, but for their leadership styles, identities, and the expectations placed upon women in power.
This thoughtful playlist invites students to examine leadership with nuance: How do gender and politics intersect? How do public expectations shape women leaders differently? And what can we learn from both their accomplishments and their controversies?
In Margot Wallström, Foreign Minister of Sweden, Wallström, who served from 2014 to 2019, talks about her decision to run a feminist foreign policy. She explains how this policy looks at the world’s problems from a gender perspective, asking whether women have the same rights, representation, and resources as men. Wallström shares how growing up in Sweden, one of Europe’s most equal societies, shaped her beliefs in unrestricted hope for the future. She also reflects on the extra scrutiny women face, such as having their appearance commented on, rather than focusing on their work. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
In Christine Lagarde, Titan of Finance, learn how Lagarde made history as the first woman to lead the International Monetary Fund and now serves as President of the European Central Bank. She shares stories about overcoming challenges in a male-dominated field, including being told she could never become a law firm partner simply because she was a woman. She worked tirelessly while raising two children, later earning their admiration for paving her own way. Lagarde believes that empowering women in finance and leadership will create prosperity for all. This video is excerpted from BBC's Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
In The Power of Student Activism, host Radzi Chinyanganya discusses the power of youth activism and how young people are leading movements for social change. The video highlights youth-led protests and demonstrations on issues such as climate change, racial equality, and gender rights. It explores how activism takes different forms, from in-person demonstrations to digital campaigns. A key focus is on Fridays for Future, a movement started by Greta Thunberg in 2018, and how activist Xiye Bastida takes part by striking every Friday to demand action on climate change. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In Understanding Gender Equality, host Radzi Chinyanganya introduces 16-year-old Pallavi from Chennai, India, who shares her personal experience with gender inequality. She reflects on broader issues like sexism and violence against women while also highlighting the everyday discrimination she faces, such as the lower expectations placed on her in her karate lessons, despite achieving a black belt ranking. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In Frontsiding to Help Others, host Radzi Chinyanganya introduces Sky Brown, a young skateboarder from California who is using her passion for skateboarding to make a difference in the lives of children, including Sokly, a girl in Cambodia. The video highlights how organizations like Skateistan, a non-governmental organization (NGO), use sports and education to improve the quality of life for children in underserved communities. Through Sky’s efforts, students see how hobbies can be a powerful tool for helping others and creating positive change. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In Going to School in a War Zone, host Radzi Chinyanganya uncovers harsh realities of living and going to school in Afghanistan, a country that has been embroiled in conflict for decades. This video focuses on the impact of the war on students' education, with a special emphasis on Mohammad's account of life in a war zone where the sound of gunfire and the presence of tanks are a daily occurrence. The episode explores the challenges students face, including the dangers they encounter at school, the fear of being caught in crossfire, and the emotional toll of attending school in such conditions. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In Defection: Escape From North Korea, host Radzi Chinyanganya highlights the story of a young person from North Korea who leaves this reclusive and secretive nation. North Korea is known for its totalitarian government and its strict control over its citizens' lives, including their thoughts, actions, and access to information. Through the eyes of the young defector, gain insight into the harsh realities of life under such a regime, the hope for escape, and the pursuit of freedom in a world where surveillance and propaganda are constant. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In Michelle Bachelet, Chile's First Woman President, learn how Michelle Bachelet challenged traditional expectations in a conservative country. As an atheist and a divorced single mother, she promoted gender equality by appointing an equal number of men and women to her cabinet, reshaping leadership norms. This video is excerpted from BBC's Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
In Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of Lithuania, learn how Grybauskaitė rose to leadership in a country shaped by Soviet control and conflict. Although she never planned to become a leader, she accepted the responsibility and later defended Lithuania’s independence with confidence, even when facing powerful leaders who expected her to be afraid. This video is excerpted from BBC's Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
In Julia Gillard, Education Advocate, listen as the former Australian Prime Minister reflects on her leadership and her work to expand education opportunities for girls worldwide. Drawing from her family’s experience with poverty and limited schooling, she advocates for equal access to education while facing criticism and gender bias during her political career. This video is excerpted from BBC's Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
In Chhavi Rajawat, Local Leader in India, learn how Rajawat left her corporate career to serve her rural community in India. After new quotas increased opportunities for women leaders, she took on a mayor-like role to help address poverty and challenges faced by villagers, especially women. This video is excerpted from BBC's Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
Meet Seven Women Leaders From All Around the World Who Broke Barriers.
They navigated crisis, criticism, and political pressure. They were pioneers, reformers, and power brokers — but they were also complex figures shaped by culture, controversy, and the eras in which they governed. In honor of Women’s History Month, this video playlist explores influential leaders from around the globe through BBC clips featuring Hillary Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, Michelle Bachelet, and more.
From national parliaments to international financial institutions, these women led in vastly different political systems and cultural landscapes. Some championed social reform. Others advanced market-driven policies. All faced intense scrutiny — not only for their decisions, but for their leadership styles, identities, and the expectations placed upon women in power.
This thoughtful playlist invites students to examine leadership with nuance: How do gender and politics intersect? How do public expectations shape women leaders differently? And what can we learn from both their accomplishments and their controversies?
In Margot Wallström, Foreign Minister of Sweden, Wallström, who served from 2014 to 2019, talks about her decision to run a feminist foreign policy. She explains how this policy looks at the world’s problems from a gender perspective, asking whether women have the same rights, representation, and resources as men. Wallström shares how growing up in Sweden, one of Europe’s most equal societies, shaped her beliefs in unrestricted hope for the future. She also reflects on the extra scrutiny women face, such as having their appearance commented on, rather than focusing on their work. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
In Christine Lagarde, Titan of Finance, learn how Lagarde made history as the first woman to lead the International Monetary Fund and now serves as President of the European Central Bank. She shares stories about overcoming challenges in a male-dominated field, including being told she could never become a law firm partner simply because she was a woman. She worked tirelessly while raising two children, later earning their admiration for paving her own way. Lagarde believes that empowering women in finance and leadership will create prosperity for all. This video is excerpted from BBC's Her Story — The Female Revolution, which explores the history and impact of women’s rights movements and achievements of women.
In The Power of Student Activism, host Radzi Chinyanganya discusses the power of youth activism and how young people are leading movements for social change. The video highlights youth-led protests and demonstrations on issues such as climate change, racial equality, and gender rights. It explores how activism takes different forms, from in-person demonstrations to digital campaigns. A key focus is on Fridays for Future, a movement started by Greta Thunberg in 2018, and how activist Xiye Bastida takes part by striking every Friday to demand action on climate change. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In Understanding Gender Equality, host Radzi Chinyanganya introduces 16-year-old Pallavi from Chennai, India, who shares her personal experience with gender inequality. She reflects on broader issues like sexism and violence against women while also highlighting the everyday discrimination she faces, such as the lower expectations placed on her in her karate lessons, despite achieving a black belt ranking. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In Frontsiding to Help Others, host Radzi Chinyanganya introduces Sky Brown, a young skateboarder from California who is using her passion for skateboarding to make a difference in the lives of children, including Sokly, a girl in Cambodia. The video highlights how organizations like Skateistan, a non-governmental organization (NGO), use sports and education to improve the quality of life for children in underserved communities. Through Sky’s efforts, students see how hobbies can be a powerful tool for helping others and creating positive change. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In Going to School in a War Zone, host Radzi Chinyanganya uncovers harsh realities of living and going to school in Afghanistan, a country that has been embroiled in conflict for decades. This video focuses on the impact of the war on students' education, with a special emphasis on Mohammad's account of life in a war zone where the sound of gunfire and the presence of tanks are a daily occurrence. The episode explores the challenges students face, including the dangers they encounter at school, the fear of being caught in crossfire, and the emotional toll of attending school in such conditions. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In Defection: Escape From North Korea, host Radzi Chinyanganya highlights the story of a young person from North Korea who leaves this reclusive and secretive nation. North Korea is known for its totalitarian government and its strict control over its citizens' lives, including their thoughts, actions, and access to information. Through the eyes of the young defector, gain insight into the harsh realities of life under such a regime, the hope for escape, and the pursuit of freedom in a world where surveillance and propaganda are constant. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.