Women in Politics - Are We There Yet?
Women in politics are starting to become more visible and we start to hear more about them. However, the question whether Feminine Leadership is being expresses by those leaders is still a question that has to be answered.
While the race to the White House is becoming hotter and the chances that there will be a first female president in the US are becoming more than just a possibility, other countries are making it happen.
On July 21st the Indian people made their choice clear, they voted for Pratibha Patil, age 72 (!) to become the first female president in India.
Although India is known to be one of the first nations to have a female prime minister back in the 60’ and 70’ (Indira Gandhi), it is still mainly a country where women and girls face bitter discrimination in everyday life.
It’s interesting to note that out of the 19 women that are heading states and countries today, 3 are queens, and 11 are coming from countries that you wouldn’t expect to see women in leadership position.
It raises the question of how come countries such as India, Chile and The Philippines, where women are not as educated or empowered as in the western world, how come they were able to elect and choose women to head their states, while countries such as US, and other European countries have not reached that level.
Here is the updated list of women female heads of State and Government currently in office, hopefully in the coming years this list will grow ten times to show the impact of women in our world.
Women Heads of State and Government Currently in Office List:
1. H.M. Elizabeth II of United Kingdom of Great Britain
2. H.M. Margrethe II, Denmark’s Queen
3. H.M. Beatrix, By the Grace of God, Queen of the Netherlands
4. President Mary McAleese, Ireland
5. Governor-General Hon. Dr. Dame C. Pearlette Louisy, St. Lucia
6. President Tarja Halonen, Finland
7. Executive President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, The Philippines
8. Prime Minister Luísa Días Diogo, Moçambique
9. President of the General Council Nassimah Magnolia Dindar, Réunion (French Oversea’s Territory)
10. Governor-General Michaëlle Jean, Canada
11. Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany
12. Executive President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberia
13. Executive President Michelle Bachelet Jeria, Chile
14. Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller, Jamaica
15. Minister-President Emily de Jongh-Elhage, Nederlandse Antillen
16. President of the Confederation Micheline Calmy-Rey, Switzerland
17. President Pratibha Patil, India
18. Governor General Louise Lake-Tack, Antigua and Barbuda
19. President Borjana Kristo, The Federation of Bosnia
What are your thoughts about it?
Have a great day!
