International Women's Day: Ela Bhatt Counted Amongst "Women Deliver 100"

By Nicole McConvery

Ela Bhatt
Ela Bhatt, founder of the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), a partner of the UU Holdeen India Program, is on the list of top 100 people working to advance women's lives worldwide. In line with 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, advocacy organization Women Deliver has announced the "Women Deliver 100," the group's list of the hundred "most inspiring people who have delivered for girls and women." "This list recognizes women and men, both prominent and lesser known, who have committed themselves to improving the lives of girls and women around the world. Honorees derive from the fields of health, human rights, politics, economics, education, journalism, and philanthropy, and represent a great diversity of geographic and cultural backgrounds," according to the group. Included on the list are Michelle Bachelet, executive director of the U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, or U.N. Women, Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general of the U.N., Hillary Clinton, U.S. secretary of state, and Andrew Mitchell, U.K. secretary of state for international development. "I am flattered to be included in the Women Deliver list which recognizes people working hard to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people in the world," Mitchell said in a Mar. 2 statement. "Girls and women are at the forefront of the UK Government's work to tackle poverty in the world's poorest countries." International Women's Day takes place on March 8th; this is the 100th anniversary of this special day.