While the path remains unequal, a growing number of countries around the world have been led by women. By defying expectations and shattering glass ceilings, these women have made significant strides not just in the realm of politics. They have brought their unique perspectives and priorities to the table, shaping policy and leaving their mark on the global stage.
Mexico is the latest country to etch its name into the history books. On June 2nd, 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum was elected as the nation’s first female president. She will succeed fellow Morena party member Andrés Manuel López Obrador as president when she is inaugurated on October 1st. Sheinbaum is an environmental scientist and former mayor of Mexico City. She secured a resounding victory, garnering over 59% of the vote. This landmark achievement comes after a long road for women in Mexican politics, and Sheinbaum’s win signifies a significant step towards gender equality in the country.
While it seems like countries are continually being added to the list year after year, some of the globe’s biggest economies remain conspicuously absent. These include the United States, China, Japan, and France. Here are the nations that have been fortunate enough to have a woman occupy the highest governmental office in the country, not including ceremonial representative positions.
Argentina
Argentina has had two female executives in its history. The first was Isabel Perón whose term lasted nearly two years from July 1974 to March 1976. Her government was deposed by a coup d’état. The second was Cristina Fernández de Kirchner whose presidency lasted for two terms from December 2007 to December 2015.
Austria
Austria joined the list in 2019 with the appointment of Brigitte Bierlein as Chancellor of Austria. She was appointed after the first successful parliamentary motion of no confidence in Austrian history removed the previous ruling government. She held office from June 2019 until the next legislative election and successful formation of government in January 2020.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh has had two women prime ministers. The first was Khaleda Zia. She first served from March 1991 to March 1996. She then again served from October 2001 to October 2006. The second woman to serve as prime minister is Sheikh Hasina. Her first term lasted from June 1996 to July 2001. She remains the current prime minister of Bangladesh, having held the office again since January 2009. Bangladesh has been governed by a woman continuously for the past 30+ years, although the last few elections have not met “free and fair” standards according to international observers.
Barbados
Mia Mottley has served as the Prime Minister of Barbados since 2018. She is the first woman to hold the position of Prime Minister in Barbados. She is also the first prime minister under the country’s new parliamentary republic government after the Barbados removed Queen Elizabeth II as head of state in 2021.
Belgium
Sophie Wilmès served as the Prime Minister of Belgium from 2019 to 2020. She was the first woman to hold the position in Belgian history. Because of Belgium’s unique power-sharing arrangement, government formation can take months of negotiations after elections. Wilmès was initially elected to lead a “caretaker” government while negotiations took place. However, after the onset of COVID, she was given full legislative responsibilities to address to the health emergency.
Bolivia
Lidia Gueiler served as the interim President of Bolivia from 1979 to 1980. She was the first woman to ever hold the presidential office in Bolivia. Interestingly, she was the cousin of actress Raquel Welch. Jeanine Áñez was the second woman to occupy the office of Bolivia’s presidency. She served as the interim President of Bolivia from 2019 to 2020 during a period of significant political turmoil following the resignation of Evo Morales.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina has had one woman head of state. Željka Cvijanović served as the President of “Republika Srpska” from 2018 to 2022, making her the first, and so far only, woman to hold the position of President.
Brazil
Dilma Rousseff served as the first female President of Brazil from 2011 to 2016. Before her political career, Dilma Rousseff was an active member of left-wing guerrilla groups that opposed Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1960s and 1970s. She was imprisoned for almost three years and endured torture during her incarceration. After her release, she completed her education and earned a degree in economics.
Canada
Kim Campbell served as the 19th Prime Minister of Canada from June 25, 1993, to November 4, 1993. She was the first and only woman to hold the office of Prime Minister in Canada. Before entering politics, Kim Campbell pursued a career in academia and law. She earned a law degree from the University of British Columbia and taught political science at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Community College.
Central African Republic
Elisabeth Domitien served as the Prime Minister of the Central African Republic from 1975 to 1976. Elisabeth Domitien was not only the first woman to become Prime Minister of the Central African Republic but also a prominent businesswoman and advocate for women’s rights. She owned several businesses and was deeply involved in the agricultural sector, promoting the role of women in the economy.
Chile
Michelle Bachelet served as the President of Chile from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2018. Before becoming President of Chile, was a pediatrician and epidemiologist. She was also detained and tortured during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship due to her father’s opposition to the regime. Bachelet later became the first Executive Director of UN Women, a United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Costa Rica
Laura Chinchilla Miranda served as the President of Costa Rica from 2010 to 2014. She has a background in political science and public administration, with a Master’s degree from Georgetown University. She has been a strong advocate for sustainable development and environmental conservation.
Croatia
Jadranka Kosor served as the Prime Minister of Croatia from 2009 to 2011. Before becoming Croatia’s first female Prime Minister, Jadranka Kosor was a prominent journalist and radio broadcaster. She worked as a war correspondent during the Croatian War of Independence, covering stories from the front lines and bringing attention to the plight of war victims.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Judith Suminwa has been leading the Democratic Republic of the Congo since June 2024. She is an economist by training and has previously worked with the UN Development Programme. Her country hopes that her UN connections will help bring future awareness and investment from the international community.
Denmark
Helle Thorning-Schmidt served as the Prime Minister of Denmark from 2011 to 2015. After serving as Denmark’s first female Prime Minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt went on to become the CEO of Save the Children International. In this role, she led global efforts to improve the lives of children.
Before becoming Denmark’s second female Prime Minister in 2019, Mette Frederiksen was known for her work in labor unions and her strong advocacy for workers’ rights. She has also been recognized for her efforts in promoting social justice and equality, both in her home country and internationally. She is currently still prime minister.
Dominica
Eugenia Charles served as the Prime Minister of Dominica from 1980 to 1995. She was the first female lawyer in Dominica and the first woman to serve as Prime Minister in the Caribbean.
Estonia
Kaja Kallas
Finland
Anneli Jäätteenmäki and Mari Kiviniemi and Sanna Marin
Germany
Angela Merkel
Greece
Vassiliki Thanou-Christophilou
Guyana
Janet Jagan
Haiti
Ertha Pascal-Trouillot
Honduras
Xiomara Castro
Iceland
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir and Katrín Jakobsdóttir
India
Indira Gandhi
Indonesia
Megawati Sukarnoputri
Israel
Golda Meir
Italy
Giorgia Meloni
Jamaica
Portia Simpson-Miller
Kyrgyzstan
Roza Otunbayeva
Latvia
Laimdota Straujuma and Evika Siliņa
Liberia
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Lithuania
Kazimira Prunskienė and Ingrida Šimonytė
Malawi
Joyce Banda
Marshall Islands
Hilda Heine
Mexico
Claudia Sheinbaum
Moldova
Maia Sandu and Natalia Gavrilița
Myanmar
Aung San Suu Kyi
New Zealand
Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark and Jacinda Ardern
Nicaragua
Violeta Chamorro
Norway
Gro Harlem Brundtland and Erna Solberg
Pakistan
Benazir Bhutto
Panama
Mireya Moscoso
Peru
Dina Boluarte
Philippines
Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Portugal
Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo
Romania
Viorica Dăncilă
Samoa
Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
São Tomé and Príncipe
Maria das Neves
Maria do Carmo Silveira
Serbia
Ana Brnabić
Slovakia
Iveta Radičová
Slovenia
Alenka Bratušek
South Korea
Park Geun-hye
Sri Lanka
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sweden
Magdalena Andersson
Taiwan
Tsai Ing-Wen
Tanzania
Samia Suluhu Hassan
Thailand
Yingluck Shinawatra
Trinidad and Tobago
Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Ukraine
Yulia Tymoshenko
United Kingdom
Margaret Thatcher
Theresa May
Liz Truss
