With the upcoming U.S. Presidential election giving us the possibility of our first female president, let’s take a look at other female leaders around the world.
Michelle Bachelet
Michelle Bachelet was first elected as the president of Chile in 2006. She is currently serving her second term which began in 2014. Bachelet’s work in Chile has focused on women’s rights, pensions, helping the poor, and protecting the rights of the native Mapuche people. Bachelet is also openly agnostic, which was revolutionary for her campaign in a highly religious nation.
Park Geun-Hye
Park Geun Hye is South Korea’s first female president. She was named the number 12th Most Powerful Woman by Forbes magazine this year. Her stronghold against nuclear testing in North Korea aims to keep South Korea safe, garnering support from many fellow world leaders.
Dalia Grybauskaitė
Dalia Grybauskaite, president of Lithuania, has been in office since July 2009 and was re-elected in 2014. Before her time as president, Grybauskaite was the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, facilitating the entrance of Lithuania into the E.U. Her tough reputation garnered her the nickname, the “Iron Lady,” similar to Margaret Thatcher.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Ellen Sirleaf has been president of Liberia since 2006. She is Africa’s first elected female head of state, and in addition, the world’s first black female president. She was elected on a campaign to end corruption in Liberia and promote economic development. In 2011, she shared a Nobel Peace Prize for women’s rights with Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman. As another fun fact, she is the aunt to American actress Marietta “Retta” Sirleaf – famous for playing “Donna” on Parks and Recreation.
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, president of Mauritius, is the nation’s first female Muslim leader in a nation where Muslims make up only 20% of the population. She is also a biodiversity scientist, having written over 28 books on the subject. Under her administration, Mauritius has become one of Africa’s wealthiest nations, with a GDP of over $9000.
Depending on next week, we’ll see if the United States joins this list!