Ethiotime1
If I were to write about the most powerful, influential, or successful leaders in the world today, I would not find lots of difficulties adding names of women who have proved to not only be on the same level as great male leaders but achieved historic successes that are hard to forget.
Women’s participation in politics is a relatively new phenomenon. Not because of lack of talent or inability to lead their own communities for the better. Historically speaking, women faced huge obstacles as most societies had forced them into marginalization and tried to limit their roles to only secondary ones.
Born today 245AD Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, Roman Syria. Led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. Ruled over Egypt until 274, when she was defeated and taken as a hostage to Rome by Emperor Aurelian. pic.twitter.com/W0yW2U5rr9
— Roman History (@romanhistory1) December 23, 2017
Despite a few exceptions throughout history, such as Ancient Egyptian Queens Cleopatra, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Queen Zenobia of Palmyra, or Queen Boudicca of the Iceni, women’s actual involvement in politics started during the late 19th and the 20th centuries in most of today’s world.
Challenging centuries-old norms of excluding women from public life was a major milestone achieved by women in the last 130 years, one that was not easy at all as it was filled with all kinds of suffering and sacrifice by advocates of women’s right to take active parts in their communities.
New Zealand is widely believed to be the first country to ever grant women the right to vote in 1893. In 1906, Finland (named Grand Duchy of Finland then) was the first country ever to grant all men and women the right to vote and run for office.
The lead these two countries have in terms of granting women their political rights is quite evident today in the fact that both countries are now ruled by women.
The Prime Ministers of both New Zealand and Finland will be mentioned in the following list through which you can learn more about some of the best leaders in today’s world, who happen to be women;
15 Powerful Women Who Excelled in the Lead
1. Najla Bouden
Tunisia – In 2021, University Professor Najla Bouden first woman to head a government in modern North Africa and the Middle East.
2. Najla Mangoush
Libya – In 2021, former top lawyer Najla Mangoush became the first woman to head the Foreign Ministery in Libya and the fifth one in the region.
3. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Liberia – In 2006, economist and former diplomat Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first woman ever elected as president of her country and was the first female head of state in modern Africa.
4. Samia Suluhu Hassan
Tanzania – In March 2021, Samia Suluhu Hassan became her country’s first head of state and she is a leading member of the ruling social-democrat Chama Cha Mapinduzi political party.
5. Sahle-Work Zewde
Ethiopia – In 2018, Sahle-Work Zewde was elected as the first female president of her country. In 2020, She was chosen as the most powerful woman in Africa according to Forbes.
6. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
Mauritius- In 2015, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was first elected as president of her country and she is one of few female politicians in high positions in the African continent.
7. Sheikh Hasina
Bangladesh – Sheikh Hasina was the first woman ever to be elected as Prime Minister for several terms, the first was in 1996. Sheikh Hasina won elections again in 2009, 2014, 2018.
As she continues to head the Bengali government, Sheikh Hasina was chosen by Forbes magazine as the 39th most powerful woman in the world in 2020.
8. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
The Philippines – Elected for the country’s presidency between 2001-2010, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the longest-serving president of the Philippines since Ferdinand Marcos.
9. Jacinda Ardern
New Zealand – In 2017, Jacinda Ardern was elected as Prime Minister of her country at the age of 37, making her the world’s youngest female leader in modern history. A few months later, she became the world’s second elected head of government to give birth while in office (after Pakistan’s late Benazir Bhutto).
In the years following the COVID19 pandemic, Jacinda Ardern was hailed internationally for her crisis management abilities, making New Zealand one of the least infected countries in the world, which granted her a landslide win in the 2020 elections.
10. Yingluck Shinawatra
Thailand – In 2011, Yingluck Shinawatra became Thailand’s first female and youngest head of government in 60 years as she became Prime Minister.
Three years later a Constitutional Court decision removed Yingluck Shinawatra from office after accusing her of violating the country’s constitution for reassigning a senior security official in 2011.
11. Park Geun-hye
South Korea – between 2013 and 2017, Park Geun-hye was elected as her country’s and East Asia’s first female president, before being impeached over corruption charges.
12. Sanna Marin
Finland – Shortly before the outbreak of COVID19 around the world, Sanna Marin was able to become the youngest leader in the history of her country, at the age of 34.
13. Tsai Ing-wen
Taiwan – Tsai Ing-wen assumed the office of Taiwan President in May 2016 to be the first woman ever to take this position.
14. Angela Merkel
Germany – Between 2005 and 2021, Angela Merkel was the first female chancellor of Germany, one that received major recognition for her role in achieving stability in her country for 16 years in office.
15. Ursula von der Leyen
Germany and European Union – In 2013, Ursula von der Leyen became the first woman ever to become the German Minister of Defense, before running for President of the European Union, a position she won in 2019.
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