Top Female Heads of State
In light of Facebook COO’s Sheryl Sandberg’s “Men Run the World” commencement speech at Barnard College, we have put together a list of the top 9 female heads of state.
During the course of her speech, Sandberg pulled out some statistics, one being: Among the world's 190 major heads of states, nine are women, and those numbers haven't moved in the past decade.
The primary message in her speech to the all-female crop of graduates was crystal clear. There needs to be more women in the workforce and the gender gap, which is alive and well, needs to be closed.
So, who are these powerful women?
GALLERY: TOP FEMALE HEADS OF STATE
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Australia She is a lawyer, and the 27th PM of Australia.
President Mary McAleese, Ireland She is Ireland's second female president. She is the country's first president to come from Belfast. McAleese is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, "an international network of current and former women presidents and prime ministers whose mission is to mobilize the highest-level women leaders globally for collective action on issues of critical importance to women and equitable development."
President Tarja Halonen, Finland She is the country's 11th president and first female to hold this office. Throughout her political career, Halonen has described herself as supporter of international solidarity
Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany She is the first female Chancellor of Germany. In 2007 she became the second woman to chair the G8, after Margaret Thatcher. From 2006 to 2009, Forbes Magazine has named her the most powerful woman in the world
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberia She is the first and currently the only elected female head of state in Africa. In 2010, Newsweek listed her as one of the ten best leaders in the world, while Time counted her among the top ten female leaders.
President Pratibha Patil, India She is the 12th and current President of the Republic of India as well as the first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Argentina She is Argentina's first elected female president. She is an advocate for human rights, poverty awareness and health improvement.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Bangladesh She has been the President of the Awami League, a major political party, since 1981 and is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders,
Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir, Iceland After divorcing her husband, she joined in a civil union with Jónína Leósdóttir in 2002. In 2010, when same-sex marriage was legalised in Iceland, Jóhanna and Jónína changed their civil union into a marriage, thus becoming one of the first same-sex married couples in Iceland. In 2009, Forbes listed her among the 100 Most Powerful Women in the world