On top of the world
- POSTED ON: 20 Apr, 2019
- TOTAL VIEWS: 681 Views
- POSTED BY: Madhumitha Srinivasan
- ARTICLE POINTS: 120 Points
Slovakia elected its first woman President recently — one of the many firsts that countries across the world are witnessing. The number of women leaders across the world is growing, albeit slowly. Women’s representation in national parliaments has increased from 11.8% in 1998 to to 23.5% in 2018, globally.
This is good news not just for the cause of gender equality and empowerment, but for citizens as well.
“Women demonstrate political leadership by working across party lines…even in the most politically combative environments — and by championing issues of gender equality, such as the elimination of gender-based violence, parental leave and childcare, pensions, gender-equality laws and electoral reform,” states UN Women.
The reasons that there are fewer women leaders in either politics or business are the same: bias, work-life imbalance, and a lack of opportunities and female role models.
Over the years, there have been women who have overcome these obstacles to go on to lead their countries.
Take a look at a few of them: