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The BBC has confirmed a fifth series of its award-winning 100 Women news season - and is again set to break new ground.

The annual series - which focuses on issues that directly affect females all over the world - is this year giving women a chance to make a change.

An endless stream of stories involving harassment, inequality, and simply less visibility in many spheres of society, can feel depressing and disempowering.

So BBC 100 Women are asking the women in this year's season to create innovations to tackle some of these inequalities and will be looking at four issues: sexism in sport, the glass ceiling, female illiteracy and street harassment.

Women with specialist interest or experience will work together in four different cities in the four weeks of October to make an innovation that will aim to help people affected by these problems.

If 100 Women is to succeed in the challenge, it will be because women around the world have helped shape the understanding of how and why these problems matter.

That could be by sharing an idea that they have seen or coming up with something themselves.

It's not just about ideas either - 100 Women will have conversations on radio, online and on social media (Twitter @BBC100women and use the hashtag #100Women)

The sexism in sport challenge is based in Rio, the glass ceiling is based in San Francisco, the female illiteracy challenge in Delhi and the street harassment challenge is based in Nairobi.

However they want the conversation to be global - so BBC 100 Women want to hear from you!

100 Women wouldn't be complete without its list of women who've done something different to change the world.

Their website explains: "This year we've reinvented the season, 100 Women also thought we should reinvent the list as well.

"When the names are announced later this month, there will only be 60 women on the list. The other 40 spaces will remain open, and as the season progress, we'll be adding women who have taken up the challenge in some way."

100 Women editor Fiona Crack added: "In 2015, women hosted 150 debates in 10 languages and 30 countries, in 2016, people added 450 deserving but over-looked women to Wikipedia, and now in 2017 we're taking it to a whole new level of participation.

"It's going to be exciting but nerve-racking to see what these talented 100 will come up with and if they can pull it off in a month."

You can find out more and get in touch with BBC 100 Women by clicking on the link here.

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