Meet the Women Leaders of the World
Since 1960, women heads of state have grown in number and influence.
— -- As far as powerful women go, Hillary Clinton has been one of the most discussed in recent months.
In her concession speech Wednesday, she said, "To all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams."
Even though a woman has never held the highest office in the U.S., there appear to be a number of bright spots on the domestic and international stages. The U.S. Senate has the most women ever elected to it, including the second ever black woman to serve, Kamala Harris, and the first ever Thai-American woman, Tammy Duckworth.
From the election of first woman head of state Sri Lankan Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1960, names like Theresa May and Benazir Bhutto have reshaped world history and changed the way that government and gender equality can function. Here are all of the world's current women heads of state or heads of government, many of whom are the first in their countries.
Germany: Chancellor Angela Merkel
This scientist-turned-politician has earned a reputation as "the decider." She's been named the world's second most powerful person by Forbes Magazine and the 2015 "Person of the Year" by Time. After a careful first few terms, Merkel has flipped her legacy in her acceptance of Syrian refugees in recent years.
United Kingdom: Prime Minister Theresa May
May is just the second woman to hold her office, after Margaret Thatcher, and she swooped in after David Cameron's unexpected resignation in the wake of the Brexit referendum. She transitioned from being Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality (she was appointed by Cameron), making her the first women ever to hold two British Great Offices of State. She reached fame in her police reform policies, which attempted to remedy the distrust of police forces by minority and immigrant communities. May was also one of the first high-profile, conservative MPs to voice support for same-sex marriage.
Liberia: President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Johnson-Sirleaf is the first elected female head of state in Africa, and she was jointly awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize with Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Tawakkol Karman of Yemen. She was imprisoned twice during the Jackson Doe regime in 1985 for acts of sedition against what she saw as a corrupt government. After going back and forth between the U.S. (where she got her Master's Degree from the Harvard Kennedy School) and Liberia, Sirleaf returned following the Second Liberian Civil War and won election in 2005. Johnson-Sirleaf has made education free and mandatory for elementary school children, and signed the first Freedom of Information bill in West Africa.
Myanmar: State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi
Before becoming state councilor, Aung San Suu Kyi was the first woman to serve as minister of foreign affairs, minister of the president's office, minister of electric power and energy and minister of education in the country. Her political ascent was never easy: she spent decades of her life in detention for supporting democracy in military-ruled Myanmar. She won the Nobel Prize in 1991 for her advocacy in human rights, and has won a Congressional Gold Medal and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her father, Aung San, orchestrated Burma's independence from Britain in 1947. Aung San Suu Kyi has been influenced by Ghandi's non-violence, and by Eastern European countries that transitioned into democracy in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
South Korea: President Park Geun-hye
Geun-hye is not only South Korea's first female president, but also the first female president of a Northeast Asian nation. She grew up in politics, first as the daughter of President Park Chung-hee and then as South Korea's first lady after her mother's death. She came into power with a conservative stance, promising to implement tax cuts and reduce regulations. She has maintained a close relationship with the U.S. and has attempted to push back against North Korea.
Lithuania: President Dalia Grybauskaite
In addition to being Lithuania's first female president, Grybauskaite is the first president of Lithuania to be reelected for a second consecutive term. She speaks five languages, has a black belt in karate, and studied foreign service at Georgetown University. She's gained fame for her staunch opposition of Russian neighbor Vladimir Putin.
Norway: Prime Minister Erna Solberg
Solberg started out in local government as a deputy member of her hometown Bergen's city council, working her way up to parliament, government minister, party leader for her Conservative Party and then Prime Minister. She's the second woman to hold the position. After Brexit, though Leave-proponents looked for Britain to model Norway's relationship with the EU, Solberg criticized the country's actions and said they "won't like" life outside of the EU.
Chile: President Michelle Bachelet
She's a physician who studied military strategy in school, and she's the first person to win Chilean presidency twice in competitive elections since 1932. Prior to her presidency, she was the first woman in all of Latin America to serve as a minister of defense. She campaigned on the promise of enacting 50 reforms in her first 100 days in office, and she succeeded in enacting 46. For her cabinet of ministers, she put together an unprecedented equal number of men and women.
Nepal: President Bidhya Devi Bhandari
Despite her male-dominated government, Bhendari has been politically active for much of her life. She helped to enact a one-third quota for women in parliament. Before her presidency, she was the vice-chairperson of the Communist Party of Nepal. She was also the first woman in Nepal to serve as Minister of Defense.
Malta: President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca
The second female president and ninth president of Malta, President Coleiro Preca spent her campaign and this first portion of her presidency focusing on inclusiveness and unity. She formed a non-profit for social inclusion and improving standards of living.
Poland: Prime Minister Beata Szydlo
Szydlo succeeded another female prime minister, Ewa Kopacz, in 2015 as a candidate for the conservative Law and Justice party. Before her presidency, she served as a mayor and a member of Poland's parliament. The daughter of a miner, Szydlo went on to study in Krakow and earned her PhD in Philosophy. She also attended the Warsaw School of Economics, where she completed post-graduate studies.
Switzerland: Swiss Federal Council Members Doris Leuthard and Simonetta Sommaruga
Switzerland's executive branch consists of the seven-member Swiss Federal Council, which is notable in its encouragement of public involvement in government. Doris Leuthard has previously served as head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs and as head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications.
Croatia: President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic
Grabar-Kitarovic was NATO's first female Assistant Secretary General before she was president, and remains the highest-ranking female official to serve in NATO. Her narrow election was an impressive feat against incumbent Ivo Josipovic, who was widely popular among Croatians. She became the first woman in Europe and the second woman in the world to defeat an incumbent president.
Estonia: President Kersti Kaljulaid
At 46, Kersti Kaljulaid is the youngest person to serve as president of Estonia. Before her presidency, she enjoyed a successful business career and was the first woman in Estonia to lead a power plant. She is conservative in economic policy matters, but liberal on social issues like immigration and LGBT rights.
St. Lucia: Governor General Pearlette Louisy
She's been in office for almost 20 years after leaving a lengthy teaching career. And in that time, Pearlette Louisy has worked on reforming education, based on her firsthand experience with it. She was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999 under the Order of St. Michael and St. George.
Mauritius: President Ameenah Gurib
She's a biodiversity scientist who managed a research firm that worked with medical benefits of indigenous plants in Mauritius, and was a professor of organic chemistry, and then a pro-vice chancellor at the University of Mauritius. She's focusing on global warming and science and technology investments as key issues in her presidency.
Marshall Islands: President Hilda Heine
President Hilda Heine is not lacking in impressive titles: She's the first woman to lead an independent Pacific island nation, one of three women in parliament, and the first Marshall Islands resident ever to earn a doctorate degree. Her doctorate was in education, and she served as minister of education prior to her presidency. She's founded a women's rights group in the Marshall Islands, and has worked extensively with the issues of climate change, education, and public health.
Bangladesh: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed
Hasina was ranked the 36th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes this year. She grew up in politics, watching her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman organize the separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan. Both she and her father, as well as other members of her family, were detained at various points for their political views.
Grenada: Governor General Cecile La Grenade
This Grenadian politician started out as a food scientist, and had a successful business career. Her work in food and business earned her the position of Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. She was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II shortly after she took office.
Bahamas: Gov. General Marguerite Pindling
Pindling was Deputy to the Governor General before she became Governor. She was highly active in her husband Prime Minister Lynden Pindling's campaigns, where he led the Bahamas to independence in 1973. She was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for her community service and work in politics.
Namibia: Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa
Kuugongelwa was minister of finance for Namibia before she was prime minister, and she worked on limiting government spending and led Namibia to its first budget surplus during her term. She's now focusing on climate change, race and gender inequalities, and youth unemployment as prime minister.
Taiwan: President Tsai Ing-wen
Tsai is the first Taiwanese president of aboriginal descent, as well as the first unmarried president. She was a professor of law prior to her presidency, and served in several government agencies, like the national security council and the fair trade commission. Tsai has been an advocate for disadvantaged groups, like women, LGBT individuals, and aborigines.
New Zealand: Governor General Patsy Reddy
Reddy is an advocate for the arts and gender equality. She was a professor at Victoria University of Wellington, and has a Master of Laws degree. She was the first female partner at law firm Watts and Patterson in the 1980s. As president, she has worked on reviewing New Zealand's spy agencies. Since 1840, she is the third woman to be appointed Governor-General.
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