Durban - Human rights defender Ishtar Lakhani has been named by the BBC in its list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2020.
This year, the BBC 100 Women is highlighting those who are leading change and making a difference during these turbulent times.
Another South African to make the list is singer and songwriter Bulelwa Mkutukana, better known as Zahara, her stage name.
The award-winning singer has been selected for using her platform to speak out on violence against women in South Africa. She revealed she was a victim.
Others on the list included
Sanna Marin, who leads Finland’s all-female coalition government; Michelle Yeoh, star of the new Avatar and Marvel films; Sarah Gilbert, who heads the Oxford University research into a coronavirus vaccine; and climate activist and actress Jane Fonda.
Lakhani, a feminist and activist and self-proclaimed trouble maker, has collaborated with socialjustice organisations, movements and networks around the world, providing the support needed to strengthen their approaches to human rights advocacy.
Based in Cape Town, Lakhani this year played a key role in the Free the Vaccine campaign, driven by the Centre for Artistic Activism and
Universities Allied for Essential Medicines.
She is also working with others towards the goal of making sure that a Covid-19 vaccine will be sustainably priced, available to all and free at the point of delivery.
Lakhani said she was glad the organisations had been recognised.
“It was important to me for the BBC to acknowledge that the work I do is supporting and collaborating with other organisations.
“They are the leaders in the work and I am the support. These lists are a recognition and acknowledgement but it also highlights individual people, but there’s so many incredible people doing good work.
“It was strange and surreal to be put on the same platform with some of the women who are doing such work at scale,” said the 35-year-old who is formerly from Durban.
With a Masters degree in anthropology from Wits University, Lakhani has been involved in co-ordinating a radical, feminist advocacy network for survivors of sexual violence (the 1 in 9 Campaign) to revolutionary sandwich making in her founding of Love and Revolution, an activist bookstore, sandwich shop and community space.
From 2014 until last year,
Lakhani served as advocacy manager for the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce, an organisation that fights for the human rights of sex workers and advocates for the full decriminalisation of sex work.
She also works with Just Labs, a global organisation that works with a number of human rights groups.
Lakhani also supports regional networks and works with HIV organisations on developing campaigns for access to bodily autonomy and bodily integrity.
“It’s a lot of different types of work with an undercurrent of social justice.”
Sunday Tribune