First Lady Olena Zelenska and human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk, the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, were featured in Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2023 list.
The magazine has been publishing the list annually since 2004. This year's recipients are divided into artists, icons, pioneers, leaders, titans, and innovators.
Zelenska and Matviichuk were both recognized for their leadership over the past year.
"Olena Zelenska didn’t expect to become a warrior for the people of Ukraine, but she has answered this call with selfless courage," U.S. First Lady Jill Biden wrote in her profile of Zelenska.
One of Zelenska's main causes has been championing the rights of children during wartime, including reforming orphanages in Ukraine.
Matviichuk and her team at the Center for Civil Liberties jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.
Founded in 2007, the human rights organization has been advocating for democratic reforms in Ukraine and documenting Russian human rights violations in territories previously occupied by Russian forces.
"By documenting Russia’s atrocities so perpetrators can face prosecution, she is proof that women are not just victims of war; they can be agents of peace and justice," former U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton wrote in her profile of Matviichuk.
Asami Terajima
