Who are the 100 Women 2014?

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The BBC's 100 WomenImage source, Various

100 Women is back. Last year the BBC kick-started its pledge to represent women better in its international news output with the 100 Women season.

But this was just the start - and today the series returns.

This year's list has more scientists and more women working in the arts. And with more than a fifth of participants under the age of 25, these are not only women to take notice of now, but ones to watch in the future, too.

Some of our women have made headlines, such Obiageli Ezekwesili, the former Nigerian minister leading the global campaign to rescue the 250 children captured by militant Islamist group Boko Haram.

Women in war

Also new to the list this year is celebrated Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst, who sparked a public outcry of love by spreading messages of tolerance after winning the Eurovision song contest in May.

We invited them to share their thoughts, experiences across three special days of output.

Please join our conversations about education, bringing up girls, women in science, entrepreneurship and women in war. We will be hearing from refugees who have built businesses in their new homes, as well as those leading soldiers on the frontline.

The conversation continues here on BBC News on radio, on television and online, bbc.co.uk/100women.

Join us on Facebook and Twitter, with the handle #100Women.

Top row (left to right)

Dr Yasmin Altwaijri Saudi mental health and obesity scientist

Conchita Wurst Singer, Austria @ConchitaWurst, external

Laura Bates Founder, Everyday Sexism project @EverydaySexism, external

Pinky Lilani Founder, Asian Women of Achievement Awards @pinkylilani, external

Ruby Chakravarti Women's rights campaigner, India

Susie Orbach, Psychotherapist @psychoanalysis, external

Pontso Mafethe Zimbabwean women's programme manager, Comic Relief@pontso_mafethe, external

Kate Shand Managing director of Enjoy Education @EnjoyEducation, external

Shappi Khorsandi Iranian-born British comedian @ShappiKhorsandi, external

Shazia Saleem Founder ieat Foods @shaziafsaleem, external

Second row (L to R)

Wai Wai Nu Director,Women Peace Net @WaiWaiNu, external

Michaela Bergman Chief Counsellor for Social Issues, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Paula Moreno Founder of peace foundation Manos Visibles @ManosVisibles, external

Rubana Huq Bangladeshi textile manufacturer @Rubanahuq, external

Lucy-Anne Holmes Founder, No More Page Three campaign, UK @LucyAnneHolmes, external

Brianna Stubbs Rower for Great Britain @BriannaStubbs, external

Matilda Tristam Comics writer @Colonoclast, external

Nigar Nazar Pakistani cartoonist@NigarNazar, external

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy Pakistani documentary film-maker @sharmeenochinoy, external

Uldus Bakhtiozina Russian photographer @Y_Bakhtiozina, external

Third row (L to R)

Prof Lesley Yellowlees First female president, Royal Chemistry Society

Rebecca Gomperts Founder, Women on Waves @rebeccagomperts, external

Dr Katherine Brown Academic, Kings College London

Emily Kasyoka Boxer, Kenya

Aowen Jin Chinese-born British artist @aowenjin, external

Eliza Rebeiro Founder of Lives not Knives @livesnotknives, external

Muge Iplikci Turkish journalist

Natumanya Sarah Educator @NatumanyaSarah, external

Linda Tirado Campaigner @KillerMartinis, external

Alice Hagan Technician at healthcare company BTG @alicehagan, external

Fourth row (L to R)

May Tha Hla Burmese food aid social worker

Rainatou Sow Founder of Make Every Woman Count

Justa Canaviri Celebrity chef, Bolivia

Heather Jackson Women's business campaigner @jackson_heather, external

Ruby Wax Mental health campaigner and comic @Rubywax, external

Umm Ahmed Sole provider for her family, Iraq

Xiaolu Guo Chinese novelist and film-maker

Hind Hobeika Founder of Instabeat, Lebanon

Molly Case Student nurse and Women of the Future Ambassador @RI_Macey, external

Dr Joyce Banda Former president of Malawi

Fifth row (L to R)

Saadia Zahidi World Economic Forum @zahidi, external

Aditi Mittal Indian stand-up comedian @awryaditi, external

Jess Butcher Co-founder of Blippar @jessbutcher, external

Farah Mohamed Girls 20 summit founder @FarahMohamed007, external

Katy Tuncer Founder, Ready Steady Mums @KatyTuncer, external

Smruti Sriram Founder, Wings of Hope & Achievement Awards @Smruti_Sriram, external

Darshan Karki Opinion-piece editor at Kathmandu Post daily, Nepal blogger @drshn_, external

Brooke Magnanti US anthropologist, author, former sex worker @bmagnanti, external

Chipo Chung Chinese-Zimbabwean actor and activist @chipochung, external

Pinar Ogunc Journalist writing about women's issues and the Kurdish political movement @pinarbihter, external

Kurdish political movement

Sixth row (L to R)

Sabina Kurgunayeva Footballer who also runs her own bicycle rental business in Azerbaijan

Kate Wilson Founder of independent children's book publisher in UK @NosyCrow, external

Betty Lalam Director of women's community organisation, Northern Uganda

Arabella Dorman War artist

Andy Kawa Businesswoman and social entrepreneur @KwaneleEnuf, external

Bahia Shehab Egyptian artist, designer and art historian

Divya Sharma Indian science student @SharmaDivya23, external

Jocelyn Bell Burnell Scientist who discovered Pulsars

Eleni Antoniadou Co-Founder Transplants Without Donors @eleni_nasa, external

Shelina Zahara Janmohammed Blogger, columnist and author @loveinheadscarf, external

Seventh row (L to R)

Salinee Tavaranan Thai engineer and social entrepreneur

Hatoon Kadi Saudi Arabian comedian @HatoonKadi, external

Brie Rogers Lowery UK Director of Change.org @brie_rl, external

Balvinder Saund Chair of Women's Sikh Alliance, UK

Cora Sherlock Pro-life campaigner and blogger in Ireland @CoraSherlock, external

Alaa Murabit Founder, The Voice of Libyan Women @almmura, external

Bushra El-Turk British-Lebanese composer for London Symphony Orchestra @bushraelturk, external

Kim Winser Founder, Winser London

Arzu Geybulla Azeri blogger @arzugeybulla, external

Judith Webb First female commander of an all-male British Army squadron@sjbwebb, external

Eighth row (L to R)

Sarah Hesterman Equal rights campaigner in Qatar

Sana Saleem Pakistani campaigner against Internet censorship @sanasaleem, external

Asma Mansour Co-founder of Tunisian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship @mansour_asma, external

Diana Nammi Kurdish women's rights campaigner against "honour" killing

Funmi Iyanda Talk show host, journalist, activist in Nigeria @Funmilola, external

Karen Masters Scientist at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation @KarenLMasters, external

Khuloud Alsaba Syrian researcher and public health worker @KhuloudSaba, external

Yolanda Wang Yixuan Women's rights campaigner in China

Ayesha Mustafa Founder and director of FashionComPassion.co.uk

Obiageli Ezekwesili Former World Bank Vice President for Africa and Former Minister for Education, Nigeria @obyezeks, external

Ninth row (L to R)

Tehmina Kazi Director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy

Sophi Tranchell Head of Divine Chocolate @divinechocolate, external

Boghuma Kabisen Titanji Virologist and campaigner for ethical medical research in Cameroon @Boghuma, external

Dwi Rubiyanti Kholifah Women's movement leader in Indonesia

Anjali Ramachandran Head of Innovation at PHD @anjali28, external

Yas Necati Campaigner for better sex education @YasNecati, external

Yeonmi Park Activist raising awareness of the plight of her people in North Korea@YeonmiParkNK, external

Irene Li Citizen journalist who took part in and documented protests in Hong Kong

Sandee Pyne Chief executive of Community Partner's International, focused on aid in Myanmar

Temie Giwa Founder of the One Percent Project, facilitating blood donation in Nigeria @temite, external

Tenth row (L to R)

Kavita Krishnan Secretary, All India Progressive Women's Association @kavita_krishnan, external

Sarah Jehaan Khan Pakistani filmmaker and campaigner

Nicky Moffat Highest Ranked woman in British Armed Forces

Alice Powell Racing driver and first female to win a Formula Renault Championship @alicepowell, external

Misty Haith Research Engineer at Imperial College London

Sally Sabry Businesswoman in Egypt

Kate Smurthwaite British comedian and activist @Cruella1, external

Susana Lopez Mexican virologist specialising in rotavirus

Jaya Luintel Journalist and women's rights advocate from Nepal

Nicola Sturgeon First Minister of Scotland @NicolaSturgeon, external

Not pictured

Caroline Neill Worked with the military in Syria, Baghdad, Gaza and Africa hotspots

Arine Renawai Palestinian photo journalist and entrepreneur