In the world of politics and decision-making, women have made remarkable progress by transforming traditional gender roles. Despite years of discrimination and the gender inequality that is still witnessed to this day, female leaders of our world have not shied away from leading their respective nations with innovative and effective supervision.
As heads of government, they have offered fresh perspectives in tackling the unprecedented challenges of current times, such as climate change and global warming, racial discrimination, the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic crisis, poverty, health issues, governance and democracy, and peace and security.
The article below focuses on current female heads of state around the world, underscoring that the petticoat government can successfully take charge.
- Sheikh Hasina Wazed (Prime Minister of Bangladesh)
Sheikh Hasina Wazed, born in Tungipara, East Pakistan in 1947 (now Bangladesh), is recognized as the longest-serving female prime minister in the world with the honor of serving Bangladesh for five terms from 1996 to 2001, and four consecutive terms since 2009. The January 7th, 2024 election results celebrated her fifth term in office.
She is a renowned Bengali politician and has been the successful heiress to the Awami League Party (the largest political organization in Bangladesh) after her father, the infamous Sheikh Mujibur Rehman (mastermind of the Bangladesh separation in 1971), along with most of the family, were assassinated in 1975. Being her father’s close confidante, she played a prominent role in the pre-separation liberation struggle. Due to her outspoken nature, her political career is marred with numerous house arrests, detentions, and a six-year exile.
Despite multiple obstacles, she secured a seat as the leader of the opposition in 1986, after which she actively condemned the violent rule of the military junta and advocated for democracy and basic human rights. She is a staunch advocate of women’s rights for which she was awarded the UNESCO Peace Tree Award in 2014.
During her long tenure, she managed to revive the economy, mostly through the garment export industry. She even earned international praise for accepting Rohingya refugees. Moreover, according to Forbes, she was ranked as the 26th most powerful woman in the world in 2018.
- Claudia Sheinbaum (President of Mexico)
Claudia Sheinbaum earned her spot as the first-ever female President of Mexico in June 2024 by bagging 60% of the votes. She is a member of the left-wing political party “Moreno.”
Belonging to a minority Jewish background and a country known for its inherent patriarchal culture, Claudia—also known as “la doctora”—has earned her rightful position in the country’s highest office.
The president-elect is a physicist with a doctorate in energy engineering and is also an esteemed researcher in the field of energy at several institutes in Mexico. Aside from being a skilled academic, she has also been immersed in student politics since her undergraduate years. Her political career is marked by substantial achievements such as being appointed as the environment secretary of Mexico City in 2000, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, and being the mayor of Mexico City in 2018.
- Maia Sandu (President of Moldova)
Maia Sandu is the former prime minister and the current president of the country since December 2020. Despite, facing political hurdles and constant sexism from opponents, she managed to cement a rightful place for young women in the post-Soviet era.
Before her debut in politics, she held prestigious positions in both, Moldova’s Ministry of Economy, and the World Bank. Moreover, shedding light on her political career, she is the founder of the “Party of Action and Solidarity” and was previously the minister of education in 2012. Being a staunch supporter of EU integration, her country achieved candidacy for EU accession in 2022.
- Ingrida Šimonytė (Prime Minister of Lithuania)
Ingrida Šimonytė is a Lithuanian politician and economist, currently serving as the nation’s second female prime minister since her re-election in November 2020. Her political accolades include being director of the tax department, as well as becoming the Minister of Finance.
Adding on, she has also served Lithuania’s parliament “Seimas” in 2016 for the Antakalnis constituency. She also helped her state recover from the Great Recession in 2009 when she was appointed as the finance minister. Her consistent performance has resulted in the “Cross of Officer of the Order of Vytautas the Great” award in 2015, and the “Clear Wave Award” in 2012.
- Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou (President of Greece)
Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou became the first female President of Greece in 2020 by securing 261 votes out of a total of 300. After earning a law degree from the University of Athens in 1978, she appeared for a competitive exam and was appointed assistant judge in 1982 at the Council of State (the Supreme Administrative Court of Greece), from where she was then promoted to the rank of associate councilor where she worked on cases regarding education, civil service, and local government. Later on, she became the president of the council of state in 2018.
Her expertise in law is showcased through her wide array of publications on environmental and urban development law, gender equality, individual rights and more.
- Mette Frederiksen (Prime Minister of Denmark)
Mette Frederiksen, one of the youngest prime ministers in Danish history, was elected in 2019. She has also been the leader of Denmark’s center-left Socialist Democratic Party since June 2015.
In 2021, she became the longest-serving female head of state in the European Union. Her political history is significant as she first became a member of the Social Democrats’ youth branch at 15 and was later elected to the Folketing (National Parliament of Denmark) in 2001; where she was the spokesperson of her party for culture, media, and gender equality.
She has also served as the minister of employment and the minister of justice. Her political courage and enthusiasm have also earned her the “Nina Bang Award” (awarded annually to a young, promising female politician). Overall, as a premier, her main priorities have been addressing climate change and boosting welfare spending.
- Zuzana Caputova (President of Slovakia)
Zuzana Caputova, elected in 2019, is the first and youngest female president in Slovakia’s history. Early on in her life, she started working for the local government in Pezinok and later on became the deputy head of the Municipal Office. She then moved on to the non-governmental sector in 1998 where she targeted issues such as child sexual abuse.
Furthermore, she also conferred her skills as a lawyer to tackle issues such as the rule of law, the functioning of the judiciary, and the transparency of public assets. Subsequently, being an environment enthusiast, she has been campaigning to prevent environmental degradation. Her efforts can be witnessed in several of her publications as well as in her appointment as a fellow of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW).
She has also been the recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2016. Her political career took flight in 2017 when she joined the Progressive Slovakian Political Party, in which she was elected as a vice-chairwoman and later on deputy chair up until her presidency. Her pronounced contributions landed her name in Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list in 2020.
- Salome Zourabichvili (President of Georgia)
Salome Zourabichvili, of Franco-Georgian origin, is an esteemed diplomat and politician, currently serving as the first female President of Georgia since 2018.
Initially, she worked in the diplomatic service for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, while also working in various international organizations. Later on, she served as the minister of foreign affairs of Georgia in 2005 and founded her political party “The Way of Georgia” in 2006. In 2016, she eventually won the election as an independent deputy in the Parliament of Georgia, thus paving the way for the fifth and last presidency directly elected by the citizens.
- Sahle-Work Zewde (President of Ethiopia)
Sahle-Work Zewde is the first-ever female President of the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia since 2018. After completing her studies in France, she returned and worked in the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1988. Later on, she became the second female ambassador of Ethiopia to Senegal, Djibouti, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
She has also claimed the role of the permanent representative to UNESCO and the director general for African affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. Before her premiership, she held two prestigious offices under Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ command as the special representative to the African Union and head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU). She has the honor of being the first woman ever to hold these two ranks.
- Mia Mottley (Prime Minister of Barbados)
Mia Amor Mottley is a politician, attorney, and the first-ever female prime minister of Barbados. She is also the leader of the Barbados Labor Party (BLP). Her political profile spans from overseeing the constituency of Saint Michael as a parliamentarian, being the attorney-general of Barbados, and being the leader of the opposition from 2008 to 2010 and 2013 to 2018. Her party, BLP, won a 74.6% popular vote in 2018, making it a historic win for any party in a general election.
- Droupadi Murmu (President of India)
Droupadi Murmu has been the President of India since 2022. Belonging to a tribal background, her early life was marked with hardships but her persistent efforts led to her being the first woman to receive a college education from her village. From there on, she strived to achieve perfection for the social, political, and economic welfare of the marginalized in her community.
She started as a junior assistant in the Irrigation and Power Department of Odisha in 1979. Later on, she was elected from the Rairangpur constituency as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Odisha and ended up serving two terms. She was also a part of the house committees and standing committees of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.
Adding on, in 2015, she was appointed as the governor of Jharkhand, being the first woman to be sworn in as a governor of a tribal-majority state. During her tenure as a governor, she introduced reforms to uplift tribal communities while also focusing on transforming the education sector. Her people-oriented efforts and democratic ethos earned her respect from every spectrum of society.
President Murmu also received Suriname’s highest distinction “Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star,” being the first Indian to do so.
- Samia Suluhu Hassan (President of the United Republic of Tanzania)
Following the demise of President John Magufuli, Samia Suluhu Hassan became the sixth President of the United Republic of Tanzania in 2021. Before her premiership, she served as the Vice President of Tanzania from 2015. She also held multiple ministerial offices in her home region of Zanzibar from 2000 to 2010.
Her streak as president is remarkable with a successful vaccination drive to fight COVID-19 while continuing to be vocal about public health protocols.
Adding on, her government has also been pushing the climate agenda. She is trying to stabilize the economy through increased private investment. Furthermore, her commitment to empowering women has been unwavering, as recently her government proclaimed to dissolve any barriers to education for pregnant girls and young mothers.
- Georgia Meloni (Prime Minister of Italy)
Georgia Meloni is a politician, journalist, and the first-ever woman to be sworn in as Italy’s Prime Minister. Her political journey started at age 15 when she became a part of the Italian Social Movement and later on, was elected as the Councilor of Rome.
Soon after, she was elected as a member of parliament and advanced to become the minister of youth in 2008. She has the distinction of becoming the youngest-ever prime minister in the history of the Italian Republic. In 2012, she founded Italy’s right-wing “Fratelli d’Italia” (Brothers of Italy) party and is its national president. Recently, she backed a constitutional proposal allowing direct elections for the prime minister, thus aiming to reduce political instability in Italy.
In essence, there is a paradigm shift occurring where women, once confined to domestic and social spheres, are now emerging as the pivotal creators of their own destinies. Women leaders and their resilience, compassion, and consensus-building skills have changed the narrative that only men can lead nations.
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