Amid reductions in press freedom globally, the need to reach women and girls around the world with trusted news has never been greater. This new editorial priority aims to enhance the BBC World Services' storytelling by listening, sharing and amplifying stories for women around the world. BBC Global Women is dedicated to stories that resonate with women worldwide, all year-round, says BBC Global Woman.

Alongside new commissions, the initiative aims to elevate the editorial offer for women by starting conversations, building connections and challenging misinformation. The first commissions under Global Women include exclusive interviews with Arden Cho from, KPop Demon Hunters and the First Lady of Sierra Leone, and an investigation into how sexual violence is being used as a weapon in conflict in Ethiopian, adds BBC Global Women.

BBC Global Women aims to deliver fresh, original content throughout the year — including access-led documentaries, interviews and stories for women in every corner of the world — across BBC News and BBC World Service digital, social and broadcast channels, says BBC Global Women.

"Press freedom continues to reduce globally, making it harder for the BBC to reach audiences and for audiences to access independent news. Internationally, we also know women in particular view, read and listen to less of our news than men. This is an issue we must urgently address so sharing more stories that matter to women and commissioning stories that resonate with women will be at the centre of BBC Global Women," says Fiona Crack, Deputy Global Director of BBC News.

Audiences can look forward to a mix of exclusive interviews, original documentaries and social investigations from all corners of the globe, adds BBC Global Women.

BBC says that upcoming highlights include:

  • Exclusive interviews in the BBC Global Women Meets... series, featuring Arden Cho from KPop Demon Hunters and Fatima Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone.
  • Documentaries including The Battle to Get My Child Back which follows Greenlandic parents fighting to reclaim their children taken under discredited "parenting competency tests."
  • A BBC World Service investigation into the hidden conflict in Ethiopia's Amhara region. With rare access to voices from a region largely closed off to the media, the BBC hears from three survivors of sexual violence which has been used as a weapon in this conflict.

For more information, visit www.bbc.com. You can also follow BBC Global Women on Facebook or on Instagram. 

*Image courtesy of contributor