Muğla village head named on BBC's iconic influential women list

ISTANBUL

Nejla Işık, the local head of a village in the southwestern province of Muğla and an environmental activist, has secured a spot on BBC’s prestigious annual list of the world’s 100 most influential women.

Işık emerged as a key figure in recent years for raising her voice in protests against the deforestation of Akbelen Forest in Muğla's Milas district, driven by decisions to cut down trees for the expansion of a nearby coal mine.

Following the protests earlier this year, a new decision to expropriate the land surrounding the forest for the establishment of a lignite mine site was canceled.

In the March local elections, the villagers of İkizköy elected Işık as their headwoman.

The 2024 list, published on Dec. 3, accentuates the impact of this year on women, lauding those who endeavor to foster societal transformation amidst a rapidly evolving world.

Among the honorees are 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Iranian human rights activist Nadia Murad; Gisele Pelicot from France, who has been waging a public battle after enduring years of drug-induced sexual abuse orchestrated by her husband; and Enas Al-Ghoul, a Palestinian agricultural engineer who developed a method to desalinate seawater, rendering it potable in Gaza.

The prestigious list last year featured another Turkish woman, Professor Dr. Canan Dağdeviren, for her groundbreaking creation of a wearable electronic bra designed for early breast cancer detection using ultrasound technology.