Last Updated on August 23, 2021
Female Leaders of Countries: While you often hear about the powerful men in the world, you quickly overlook the fact that women, too, rise through the ranks. Today’s women are empowered even in global communities. Fortunately, there are a lot more female leaders out there than common knowledge may suggest; from trailblazing politicians to dedicated activists. Below are merely 10 of them.
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Female Leaders of Countries around the World
1. Angela Merkel
Merkel garnered the full spotlight when she was named TIME’s person of the year, but her notable acts go beyond gracing a magazine cover. Despite strong opposition, she opened Germany’s doors to migrants during the Syrian refugee crisis.
2: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Sirleaf is the first female president elected in Africa. She began her political career in 1972, with a scathing message against the oppressive government at her alma mater, then went on to work at the Treasury Department and later became its Minister of Finance. Although she was put on a 30-year ban from politics, she ran for president but lost to a political opponent accused of war crimes. She sent herself into exile for her own safety soon after. In 2006, she won the presidential election and was re-elected in 2011. She received a Nobel Peace Prize the same year, shared with Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman, for their “non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.”
3. Aung San Suu Kyi
Suu Kyi took on the role of opposition leader against Burmese dictator General Ne Win. Speaking out against him, she led a peaceful movement for democracy and human rights. She worked to spread democracy throughout Myanmar and founded the National League for Democracy. But in 1989, she was put on house arrest for 15 years to block her from communicating with the outside world. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 and was released from house arrest in 2010. Today, she continues to vie for democracy in her country.
4. Michelle Bachelet
Bachelet is the first woman to serve as Chile’s commander-in-chief. Her calling to the political realm was an unfortunate one, since both she and her father were tortured and exiled under Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorial rule. Bachelet was sworn into her first term in 2006, and has been generally well-praised, especially after her handling of the global economic crisis in 2008. To top it off, she’s also a pediatrician.
5. Judy Smith
Known as the real-life Olivia Pope, Smith is the inspiration for the TV show Scandal. She’s the CEO, founder and president of crisis management firm Smith & Company and has covered cases with Monica Lewinsky, Wesley Snipes, Michael Vick and Sony. She also assists in public policy work on issues like the housing crisis and education. Consider it handled.
6. Janet Yellen
Yellen is an award-winning economist and the first woman to head the Federal Reserve of the United States. (She succeeded Ben Bernanke in 2014.) She’s a graduate of both Yale and Brown, and even President Obama has offered her his high praise. “She’s a proven leader, and she’s tough—not just because she’s from Brooklyn,” he said when he nominated her as Fed Chair in 2013.
7. Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Schmidt is the first female prime minister and leader of the Social Democrats in Denmark. During her term she loosened the strict, anti-immigration laws set forth by her predecessors. After stepping down, Schmidt took on the role of Chief Executive for the non-governmental organization, Save the Children, which promotes children’s rights in developing nations.
8. Loretta Lynch
The Harvard graduate started her career in federal law in the early ’90s, picking up positions at The Federal Reserve and as the District Attorney for New York. While serving the latter, Lynch oversaw preliminary investigations of potential corruption among FIFA officials. In 2015, President Obama appointed her to the position of Attorney General, making her the second woman and first African-American woman to hold the title.
9. Park Geun-hye
Park’s position as South Korea’s first female president, among other accomplishments, earned her the #11 spot on Forbes’ Most Powerful Women list (and #43 overall). Though reeling back from the Sewol ferry sinking, which occurred during her term, Park spearheaded a free trade deal with Canada—reportedly the first of its kind between Canada and an Asian country.
10. Arundhati Bhattacharya
Bhattacharya is the first woman to head the State Bank of India, which has been in existence for over 200 years. She’s also revolutionizing the bank’s male-dominant history with a female focus: by allowing women two-year sabbaticals for going on maternity leave or taking time off to care for family members. Since women are primarily the caregivers in Indian society, this relieves working women from the risk of losing their jobs for tending to their families.
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