‘When women lead, the world is better for all people and the planet.’
We have been seeing more and more women thriving as leaders across the globe. Strides have been made in achieving gender parity across all levels, but more work lies ahead.
In the 2024 Global Gender Report of the World Economic Forum (WEF), the global gender gap score in 2024 for 146 countries was at 68.5% closed, meaning it will take 134 years to reach full parity – roughly five generations beyond the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal target. Imagine that, almost a century and a half before we close the gender gap across all metrics from education to health, leadership and economic opportunities.
The improvements have been incremental in past years, with the global gender gap closed by a further + 0.1 percentage point, but an improvement, no matter how small, is still worth recognizing.
Most countries have been ruled almost entirely by men throughout their histories. The past few decades, however, have seen more and more nations electing women to high political offices, including heads of state. Over the past 50 years, nearly half (47.2%) of economies tracked by the WEF Global Gender Gap Index have had at least one woman in top political office. Gender parity in parliamentary representation reached a record high of 33% in 2024, nearly doubling since 2006 (18.8%).
Moreover, according to the United Nations’ UN Women division, 30 women were serving as heads of state and/or government in 28 countries as of September 2022. Many of these women have been praised for their innovative and effective leadership and for bringing a whiff of fresh air through their unique perspectives in tackling the challenges their countries face.
Among the women leaders who have earned the respect and even adoration of the global community are former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, former President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen, and former Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin. Any article on powerful women would be incomplete without mention of Angela Merkel, the ex-Chancellor of Germany who, at the peak of her career, was considered the world’s most powerful woman and the de-facto leader of the EU.
While women in the United States have yet to break the (political) glass ceiling and elect a female president, the country is also making progress in the area of gender equality. In 2022, a quarter of the US Congress was made up of female representatives and senators. Kamala Harris is currently serving as the first female Vice President as well as the first African-American and the first Asian-American Vice President in US history.
Harris is also looking to make history as the first female president of the world’s most powerful nation, and she’s currently riding on a high with surveys showing optimistic numbers for the Democrats.
Over in Southeast Asia, women leaders have also made their mark. There’s Myanmar’s “The Lady,” Nobel Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, once beloved on the world stage, but now a pariah of sorts because of her inaction on the plight of the Rohingya people. She’s still well loved at home, though.
Thailand, meanwhile, is still reeling from the shock ouster of Srettha Thavisin after less than a year as Prime Minister. Just two days after the ousting, he was replaced by Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a photogenic 37-year-old who, though being the “new” Prime Minister, comes from an old and divisive family of politicians (sounds familiar?).
Paetongtarn is the youngest child of billionaire and former Prime Minister Thaksin, 75, founder of Pheu Thai party, with which Srettha was also affiliated. Paetongtarn follows in the footsteps of dad Thaksin and aunt Yingluck as she becomes the third Shinawatra to take on Thailand’s top post. As well as being the youngest person to take the leadership, Paetongtarn is Thailand’s second-ever female prime minister after her aunt.
Electing and appointing women in leadership positions signal a strong political will for gender equality and demonstrate a collective commitment to tackling current challenges across all levels.
Here at home, it wouldn’t be difficult to name women leaders. Our country, after all, is consistently ranked highest in Asia when it comes to gender parity. Despite the Philippines doing well in the WEF reports, it’s worth noting that the archipelago once ranked as high as 5th in 2013 and 6th for three consecutive years during the first three iterations of the Global Gender Gap Report from 2006 to 2008. This year, however, the Philippines plummeted nine spots from 19th place in 2023, stemming from losses in economic parity and a reduction in the share of women ministers, which can be traced to the Duterte presidency.
Going back to Filipino women leaders, we are fortunate to be able to name several from revolutionary heroines Melchora “Tandang Sora” Aquino and Gabriela Silang, to Corazon Aquino and Miriam Defensor-Santiago (love or hate her, we have to admit she was quite a leader), to more contemporary movers and shakers such as former Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Leila de Lima, and incumbent Senator Risa Hontiveros.
Even South Asia, which is known for its patriarchal societies, has had its share of female leaders, such as former Nepali President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, who in 2016 was #52 on Forbes’ world’s 100 most powerful women list. A women’s rights advocate, Bhandari has helped push forward a mandate, now approved, that women comprise at least a third of Nepal’s parliament.
Then there’s the recently ousted Sheikh Hasina, who served as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister for a total of 20 years, 15 of those were for four consecutive terms, the last was cut short by a spate of violent uprisings that saw her doing a “Marcos”—fleeing her residence (via helicopter) which was stormed by angry protesters to the safety of India. Hasina, described by many as an authoritarian and an iron lady, is proof that some female leaders can be just as ruthless and corrupt as their male counterparts.
Japan, known for having one of the most dismal gender disparities in the world, has also made strides in leadership. Tokyo, for instance, has re-elected its first female Governor, Yuriko Koike, to her third term. Koike, even more impressive, is Japan’s first female Defence Minister. Her closest rival in the recent election, Renho, is also a woman.
Having women at the top is vital to building and sustaining strong, vibrant democracies.
With Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announcing that he won’t be seeking reelection, rumors are now rife as to who are the top candidates for the post. Among the names being floated as Kishida’s possible successor is Yoko Kamikawa, who is currently the country’s Foreign Minister and the first female to hold the post in two decades. A quintessential diplomat, some experts say she has what it takes to take on Japan’s top post.
I can go on and on all day to talk about women leaders, but I can’t deny that despite the considerable progress, we are still largely excluded from positions of power and diplomacy. The highest levels of influence and decision-making are still predominantly occupied by men.
A staggering 113 countries worldwide have never had a woman serve as head of state or government and only 26 countries are led by a woman as of today, as per UN Women. As ofJanuary 2024, only 23 percent of ministerial positions are held by women, and in 141 countries women make up less than a third of Cabinet ministers. Seven countries have no women represented in their Cabinets at all.
“Our work is guided by the belief that when women lead, the world is better for all people and the planet. As many countries head to the polls this year, we all must put women first, at the pinnacle of power, where and when it matters the most. Women’s equal participation in governance and leadership is key to improving lives for all,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.
Despite the progress, the strides, and the heightened visibility of women leaders from the national to the global stage, why should we keep pushing for more space? Because electing and appointing women in leadership positions—regardless of whether it’s in a sleepy municipality or the top post of a world superpower—signal a strong political will for gender equality and demonstrate a collective commitment to tackling current challenges across all levels.
Having women in power is a “fundamental prerequisite for gender equality and genuine democracy,” as per the United Nations, allowing for women’s direct engagement in public decision-making and ensuring better accountability to this vulnerable sector of society. Having women at the top is vital to building and sustaining strong, vibrant democracies.
I can only hope that more of us would find ourselves leading and driving positive change, including through occupying the most senior positions of power, especially here at home.