Africa: Continent's Two Female Presidents Join Forces for Women - allAfrica.com Africa: Continent's Two Female Presidents Join Forces for Women A boy listens to his teacher during a lesson on the outskirts of Juba, South Sudan. By Travis Lupick* Monrovia — The only two female heads of state in Africa, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Malawian President Joyce Banda, have just committed to using their positions to improve the lives of women across the continent. Both Sirleaf and Banda have long championed women's rights. And on Apr. 29 in Monrovia, two years into what the African Union (AU) has declared the "Women's Decade", they pledged to work together to accelerate those efforts. "Today is a day African women must rejoice," Banda said as Sirleaf stood by her side. "This is our day. And this is our year. And this is our decade!" And Sirleaf affirmed her - and Liberia's - commitment to empower women. "The two of us have great strength," Sirleaf said.

"Together, we can do more to empower women and to ensure that women's role in society is enhanced." She added that her country would work with the new Malawian government to advance women's empowerment. To be sure, the challenges before them are great. Using the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as a barometer, Liberia and Malawi generally score low in the areas of gender equality and women's empowerment, education for girls, and maternal health. According to 2010 U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) reports on the two countries, Liberia is only likely to meet certain goals on equality and education, and Malawi remains unlikely to meet its targets for any of the three MDGs that focus on women. But as Banda noted during her speech, there has never been a better time to advance women's rights in Africa. Sirleaf, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was elected as Africa's first female president in 2005 and reelected in 2011.

While her first term in office focused on reconstructing a country devastated by two civil wars, one from 1989 to 1996 and the second from 1999 to 2003, she has set out to use her second term as president to make women's rights and health a national priority. Banda succeeded former President Bingu wa Mutharika after his sudden passing on Apr. 5. After she was elected vice president in 2009, she had a falling out with Mutharika, and was subsequently expelled from the ruling Democratic People's Party and essentially barred from participating in government. However, she remained vice president, and in 2011 she formed the opposition People's Party. Since Mutharika's death a number of MPs have left the former ruling party to join her. Both Sirleaf and Banda govern countries with significant development challenges. So devastating were Liberia's civil wars that nearly a decade since the end of the conflict, the country is still in a state of reconciliation and reconstruction.

In Malawi, Mutharika's last years in office were characterised by an economy crumbling under government mismanagement, which was compounded by the withdrawal of donor aid because of human rights abuses. Yet despite the fact that Sirleaf has had to focus her efforts on reconstruction and Banda is barely one month into her time as president, there is concrete evidence indicating that both women have put the advancement of women at the top of their agendas. At her office in Monrovia, Liberian Minister of Gender and Development Julia Duncan-Cassell described advances in women's empowerment as observable through representation in government, as well as in ordinary women's participation in the democratic process in Liberia. "In 1997, market women didn't know much about elections," she told IPS. "In 2005, they tried, but they all voted with thumb prints. But in 2011, most of the market women were able to mark their names." On education, Duncan-Cassell pointed to figures indicating that the ratio of girls enrolled in school continued to climb towards parity with boys.

The 2010 UNDP report on Liberia and the MDGs confirms this, noting that the ratio of girls to boys receiving a primary education stands at 0.88 to one, and for secondary education, 0.69 to one. The document states that Liberia is on track to achieve its targets on girls' education. With regard to women's health, Liberia's five-year "Road Map", launched in March 2011, aims to "halve Liberia's high rate of maternal and newborn death" and calls for "increasing the number of skilled birth attendants at all levels of the health care system by 50 per cent." According to the country's 2007 Demographic and Health Survey, Liberia's maternal mortality rate is 994 deaths for every 100,000 live births - one of the highest in the world. Banda too has already accomplished much for women since ascending to the presidency. She has strengthened the voice of women in government through the appointment of eight women to senior cabinet positions. She has assigned women to the positions of deputy chief secretary to government and deputy director inspector general of police.

And she has advanced women's economic empowerment through the introduction of an agricultural programme and a market initiative. And with the presidential initiative on maternal health and safe motherhood that is still to be launched, she admits she is following in the footsteps of Sirleaf. "This one, I learned from my big sister," Banda said. "Malawi's maternal mortality rate is as high as 675 deaths per 100,000 (live births)," Banda noted. "As a woman president and a mother, I feel it is my obligation to stop the unnecessary deaths of women." Litha Musyimi-Ogana, head of the Women, Gender and Development Directorate for the AU, applauded the partnership she sees taking shape between Sirleaf and Banda. "I fully embrace the pronouncement," she said in a telephone interview from Johannesburg. "It is wonderful news to hear that President Banda and President Sirleaf have prioritised the African Women's Decade and (have agreed) to work together to advance women's rights." Musyimi-Ogana added that on behalf of AU Commission head Jean Ping, the organisation pledged to make its top representatives and resources available to Sirleaf and Banda, to accomplish the goals of the AU Women's Decade.

Meanwhile, Banda said that she believed her responsibility for ensuring women's rights extended beyond Malawi. "I know that women in Africa still face many challenges due to HIV and AIDS, poverty, conflict, and harmful cultural practices, among other issues," Banda said as she looked over to Sirleaf. "However, I firmly believe that you and I will tirelessly work together to make sure that women's rights on the continent get better." Duncan-Cassell also noted that challenges lie ahead. But she maintained that Banda's rise to the presidency of Malawi was a cause for celebration. "Now we have Joyce," she said. "Like President Sirleaf said, she's not going to be lonely among men anymore. She has a counterpart." *Additional reporting from Massa Kanneh in Monrovia. Copyright © 2012 Inter Press Service. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media ( allAfrica.com ). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 700 reports a day from more than 140 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica . To address comments or complaints, please Contact us . Profile: Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - BBC News BBC News Profile: Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 7 October 2011 Close share panel Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mrs Sirleaf hopes her 2005 poll victory encourages other women in Africa to go for high political office Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, 72, known as the "Iron Lady" by her supporters, has been named as one of three joint winners of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. The award comes six years after she became Africa's first elected female head of state following the end of Liberia's 14-year civil war.

It also comes just days before she stands for re-election, despite initially promising she would only seek one term. While out campaigning, the diminutive grandmother figure is often dwarfed by her party officials and bodyguards but over a political career spanning almost 30 years she has earned her steely nickname. She was imprisoned in the 1980s for criticising the military regime of Samuel Doe and then backed Charles Taylor's rebellion before falling out with him. It would have been much easier for her to quit politics and sit at home like others have done but she has never given up Liberian analyst After beat her in the 1997 presidential election, she was charged with treason, prompting her to return to exile. In 2009, Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended that she be barred from holding public office for 30 years for her role in backing Mr Taylor, who is currently on trial for war crimes in The Hague. She has ignored the ruling but has apologised for backing Mr Taylor. One veteran of Liberia's political scene said Mrs Sirleaf's nickname comes from her iron will and determination.

"It would have been much easier for her to quit politics and sit at home like others have done but she has never given up," he said. 'Don't change pilots' She won the 2005 election run-off even though she faced probably the best known Liberian - former football star George Weah. The story so far: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Born: 1938 1997: Lost elections to Charles Taylor, returned to exile 2005: Defeated former football star George Weah in election run-off 2011: Won Nobel Peace Prize, seeks re-election Despite the popular appeal of her opponent, analysts say she won because of background as a development economist. Mrs Sirleaf has held a string of international financial positions, from minister of finance in 1979 to Africa director at the United Nations Development Programme. So many people felt she was well placed to rebuild Liberia's shattered economy. Since becoming president, she has cancelled and renegotiated a $1bn contract with the world's largest steel company, Arcelor Mittal, which has since started iron ore production in the north east.

Another $2.6bn iron ore concession agreement was entered into between the government and China Union, a consortium of Chinese companies. But she says that her work has not finished, which is why she changed her mind and decided to seek re-election. "When the plane hasn't landed yet, don't change the pilots," her posters say. Some poor Liberians complain that their lives have not changed much since Mrs Sirleaf became president. Many educated Liberians - and members of the old elite descended from freed American slaves - gave Mrs Sirleaf their backing in 2005. 'Motherly sensitivity' While men continue to dominate life in rural areas of Liberia, in the cities, some women and some gender-sensitive men felt it was time the country had a female leader - after a succession of men had brought the country to ruins. Mrs Sirleaf said she wanted to become president in order "to bring motherly sensitivity and emotion to the presidency" as a way of healing the wounds of war. Throughout her campaign, she has said that if she won, it would encourage women across Africa to seek high political office.

She constantly stresses her commitment to the fight against corruption and after returning from exile, she served as head of the Governance Reform Commission set up as part of the deal to end Liberia's civil war in 2003. She resigned that post to contest the presidency, criticising the transitional government's inability to fight corruption. However, her opponents now make the same claims about her administration and even accused her allies of buying votes ahead of Tuesday's re-election - charges they strongly deny. On her father's side she is descended from a traditional chief, while her mother's father was a German trader. She was married aged 17 to James Sirleaf but they later divorced. She is the mother of four sons and has six grandchildren. Africa's First Female President - Africa on the Blog Africa on the Blog You are here: Home / Africa Matters / Africa’s First Female President Africa’s First Female President February 3, 2011 Share this on WhatsApp When Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected President of Liberia in November 2005, her victory was celebrated by many. Since the creation of modern African states, Ma Ellen, as she is fondly referred to in Liberia, was the first elected female Head of State of an African country.

Ma Ellen has a formidable resume , which includes a graduate degree in Economics from Harvard, an early introduction to politics as part Liberia’s one-party state of the 70s, years of service in various international economic institutions and a stint at the UN Development Program Regional Bureau for Africa, first as Assistant Administrator and then as Director. She was twice exiled from Liberia for political reasons, but returned in 1997 to make her first bid for the presidency. After losing to Charles Taylor, she was charged with treason and fled Liberia for the second time. Ma Ellen returned in 2005 for a second and successful bid for the presidency. Johnson Sirleaf was sworn in as Africa’s first elected female President on January 16, 2006. In the five years since then, she has succeeded in significantly reducing Liberia’s national debt and providing free mandatory education for all elementary school aged children. She also established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2006 to investigate the decades of civil war in the country. The commission eventually recommended that she, among others, be barred from holding public office for 30 years because of their support of Charles Taylor’s regime.

She has argued against the recommendation, apologizing to the nation for supporting Taylor and explaining that she withdrew her support and was one of his most vocal critics after she realized his true intentions. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf married James Sirleaf at the tender age of 17. She later divorced him after repeated bouts of domestic violence . She has four sons and eight grandchildren. Ma Ellen in an interview for TEDWomen said that women make good leaders because they bring extra sensitivity to situations, are more likely than men to be concerned for the welfare of a nation and to respond to people’s needs. She is also known as “the Iron Lady of Africa” because of her reputation for making tough decisions and taking strong action. Her grandmotherly moniker of Ma Ellen balances out her tough side. She has done women all over the world proud, but especially African women. We hope that many more women will have opportunities to follow in her footsteps.

Female Presidents FEMALE PRESIDENTS and Woman Premier Ministers 06.04.1940-11.10.1944 Head of State Khertek Anchimaa-Toka, People's Republic of Tannu Tuva As Chairperson of the Presidium of the Parliament, the Little Hï¿½ral, Khertek Amyrbitovna was the Head of the state which became Independent in 1921, a People's Republic in 1926, was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1944. She had held various jobs in local administration and the party administration, Chairperson of the Women Department of the Central Committee of the Tuvinian People's Revolutionary Party 1938-1940. Married to the First Secretary of the TPRP, Salchak Kalbakkhorekovich Toka in 1940, Deputy Chairperson of Oblast Executive Committee 1944-1961 and Deputy Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Tuva 1961-1972. She lived (1912-2008).

31.10.1968-24.02.1972 Acting Head of State Song Qingling, China 06.07.1976-05.03.78 Joint Acting Head of State 1979-1980 "Honorary President" Born into a rich Christian family, she was educated in the USA. In 1927-29 Member of Government Council, 1929-49 Leader of Opposition against her brother-in-Law President Chiang Kai-chek and 1948 Honorary Chairperson of the Kuomintang, 1949-54 Deputy Premier Minister, 1954-59 Vice-Chairperson of The Peoples' Republic (Deputy Head of State), 1954-76 and 1975-78 Vice-Chairperson of the National People’s Congress, Vice-Chairperson of China People’s Consultative Consultative Conference, CPPCC. In 1968-74 the Post of Chair of the Republic was vacant and she and the other Vice-Chairperson, Dong Bow shared the Presidential Powers.

In 1976 the Chairman of the NPC died and the 21 vice-chairmen, including Song, acted as collective heads of state until 1978 when a replacement was elected. 1980 she was Chairperson of the 3rd Session of the National People’s Congress. Soong Qingling was widow of Sun Yat-Sen, Provisoric President of China in 1911. Her sister Soong May-ling (b. 1897) played a crucial role as wife of Chiang Kai-chek, President of China till 1945 and of Taiwan 1945-75. And her brother, T. V. Soong, was Premier Minister in Taiwan. A third sister was a business magnate. She lived (1893-1981). 01.07.1974- 24.03.1976 Executive President Maria Estella Martï¿½nez de Perï¿½n, Argentina Isabel Peron was Vice-President and President of the Senate 1973-74. As Executive President she was also head of the Cabinet.

Chairperson of Partido Justicial, The Peronist party 1974-85, removed by a coup d'ï¿½tat and in Prison 1976-78, Exile in Spain 1981-93. She was married to General Juan Peron, who was President two times. (b. 1931-). 17.11.1979-18.07.1980 Interim Executive President Lydia Gueiler Tejada, Bolivia As President she was also Head of the Cabinet. Lidia Gueiler was member of Parliament 1956-64 and afterwards in exile for 15 years. Circa 1978 Subsecretary for Agriculture, 1978 President of Camera de Diputados.

Acting President of the Congress and acting Deputy Head of State 1978-79.She was President of Partido Revolucionario de los Izquierda Nazional Gueiler 1979-94, Exile in France 1980-82, Ambassador in Embassy to West Germany 1982-83, and to Venezuela 1983-86 and since 1993 She was deposed by the 129th Coup d'ï¿½tat in the history of Bolivia, shortly before elections was due. She lived (1921-2011). 01.08.1980-01.08.1996 President Vigdï¿½s Finnbogadï¿½ttir, Iceland In 1972-80 Director of Iceland’s National Theatre was the world’s first democratically elected female President. Since 1996 she has been involved in a wide range of international humanitarian and cultural organizations. She was a divorcee and mother of an adopted a daughter. (b.1930-).

01.04-01.10.1981 Captain Regent Maria Lea Pedini Angelini, San Marino Every 6th month The Consiglio Grande e Generale elects two Captain Regents, who acts as heads of State and Government and as Chairmen of the Consiglio Grande e Generale. From circa 1991 she has been Director in Ministry of Government and Foreign Affairs, since 1995 Ambassador in the Ministry to Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland etc. (b. 1954- ). 15.02.1982-15.02.1987 President Agatha Barbara, Malta Labour M.P 1947-82 and for long periods the only woman in Parliament. Minister of Education and Culture 1955-58 and 1971-74 Labour, Welfare and Culture (Third in Cabinet) 1974-81. In the last period she was Acting Prime Minister on various brief occasions. She resigned as President 2 years ahead of time because Labour lost the 1987-elections. She lived (1923-2002).

01.04.1984-01.10.1984 and 01.10.1989-01.04.90 Captain Regent Gloriana Ranocchini, San Marino Member of the Parliament. (b. 1957-). 14.05-16.05.1984 Acting Head of State Carmen Pereira, Guinea Bissau Has been Member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) since 1962 and later Political Commissioner for the Southern Front, and only female member of the 24 members Committee Executivo da Luta (CEL).

In 1973-84 Deputy President of Assemblï¿½ia Nacional Popular, 1975-80 President of the Parliament of Cap Verde (which was in union with Guinea Bissau at the time) 1981-83 Minister of Health and Social Affairs 1984-89 President of Assemblï¿½ia Nacional Popular, 1989-94 Member the Council of State and 1990-91 Minister of State (Deputy Premier) for Social Affairs. She acted as head of state after Joï¿½o Bernardo Viera, Head of state since 1980, was elected President in 1984. In 1999 he was deposed after a military coup d'ï¿½tat. (b. 1937-).

25.2.1986-30.06.1992 Executive President Maria Corazï¿½n Sumulong Cojuangco Aquino, The Philippines Cory Aquino became leader of the opposition after the murder of her husband Ninoi Aquino in 1986, and was brought to power by the so-called "People Power", which protested about President Marcos's attempts to remain in power. She was also Head of the Cabinet. 1998 among the senior advisors of the new President Estrada. During her term in office she fought off 8 attempted coup d'ï¿½tats. Constitutionally barred from running for re-election. Mother of 4 children. She lived (1933-2009). 13.03.1990-07.02.1991 Acting President Ertha Pascal-Trouillot, Haiti She was the first female High Court Judge 1986-90, and became acting President during the turbulent political situation in Haiti in a period where one Coup d'ï¿½tat followed the other. She was held hostage on one occasion by soldiers attempting a coup. (b.

1943-). 05.04.1990-02.10.1990 Acting Head of State Dr. Sabine Bergmann-Pohl, East-Germany As President of the People's Chamber she was acting as the last Head of State of the German Democratic Republic, DDR/GDR before the reunification. After the reunification she was Federal Minister without Portfolio for the New Bundesstates 1990-91, Parliamentary State Secretary of Health 1991-98 and member of the Bundestag 1998-2002. Mother of two children. (b. 1946-). 25.04.1990-10.01.1997 Executive President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, Nicaragua In 1979 Doï¿½a Violeta was member of the Ruling Junta after the overthrow of the Somoza-dictatorship but left because of disagreement with the Sandinistas. Between 1979-90 Publisher of the opposition newspaper La Prensa after the murder of her husband, opposition leader Joaquï¿½n Chamorro Cardenal.

As Executive President she was also Head of the Cabinet and Minister of Defence. She did not run for re-election. (b. 1929- ). 03.12.1990-12.09.1997 President Mary Robinson, Ireland In 1969 she was appointed Professor of Law, 1970-90 she was Labour-senator. She did not run for re-election. From 1997 she has been Assistant Secretary General and United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights. Mother of two children. (b. 1944-). 01.10.1991-01.04.1992 Captain Regent Edda Ceccoli, San Marino Member of the leadership of Partito Democratico Cristano Sammarinese. 01.04.1993-01.10.1993 Captain Regent Patrizia Busignani, San Marino 1983-90 President of Partito Socialista Unitario. From around 1997 she was Chief of the Parliamentary Group of Socialisti per le Riforme.

In March 2006 she was candidate for the post for the period starting in April 2006. 27.10.1993-05.02.1994 Acting Head of State Sylvie Kinigi, Burundi By the time of her appointment as Premier she was Head of the Economic Planning Office in the President’s Office. During the Civil War the President was killed and as the highest ranking remaining official, she became Acting President (27.10.93-5.2.94). After her resignation, she left politics and joined the Burundi’s Commercial Bank. (b. 1952-).

14.11.1994-19.11.2005 Executive President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Sri Lanka Vice-President 1984-86 and President of Sri Lanka Maha Jana Party 1984-86, Leader of United Socialist Alliance 1988 and since 1993 Leader of People’s Alliance and Deputy Leader of Sri Lanka Freedom Party, 1993-94 Chief Minister of the Colombo Province and in a few months in 1994 Prime Minister. As Executive President she was also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and held the Portfolio of Defence and Finance and Planning 1994-2001 and was Minister of Defence, Information and Interior from November 2003. She is the first person in the world to be daughter of two premier ministers, Solomon and Sirivamo Bandaranaike and the first to have appointed her mother to the post of Prime Minister. Her husband politician Vijaya K. was assassinated 1988, and during the Presidential campaign in 2000 she survived an assassination-attempt but lost vision in one eye.

She was not allowed to stand for re-election in 2005. She is mother of 2 children. (b. 1945-). 03.09.1996-02.08.1997 Chairman of the Council of State Ruth Perry, Liberia Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry was a senator 1985-96. Appointed to chair the Council of State preparing the transfer to democracy after many years of civil war. From 1999 Ruth Perry was 1. Vice-Chairperson of the Organization for African Unity. She lived (1939-2017). 09.02.1997-11.02.1997 Acting Executive President Rosalia Arteaga Serrano de Fernï¿½ndez de Cï¿½rdova, Ecuador A former minister, she was Vice-President 1994-98 and Presidential Candidate in 1998. She was inaugurated as Acting President after her predecessor was removed from office but two days after the Congress nominated someone else. As Executive President she was also Head of the Cabinet.

Presidential Candidate in 1997. (b. 1953-). 11.11.1997-11.11.2011 President Mary McAleese, Ireland Professor of Law and 1993-97 Pro-chancellor of University of Belfast, the first person from Northern Ireland to be elected President of Ireland. During the 1997-elections 5 candidates were female and there was only one token male candidates finishing a distant last. 2004 she was returned unopposed for a second term. (b. 1951-). 19.12.1997-11.08.99 Executive President Janet Jagan, Guyana Her country's first white and first female President and was executive President but worked together with the Prime Minister. 1950-90 she held leading posts in the Progressive People's Party, PPP, 1953 Deputy President of the National Assembly, 1954 imprisoned by the British authorities for her activities for independence 1957-61.

Minister of Labour, Health and Housing, 1963-64 Minister of Home Affairs (Senator), 1973-97 Editor-in-Chief of The Mirror, 1993 Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In 1997 her husband, President Dr. Cheddi Bharat Jagan, died, and she was chosen to replace the Premier, who had become President. Janet was chosen as her party's candidate in the following Presidential elections. She was in office until July 1999 when she suffered a mild hart attack and chose to resign from her post 3 years ahead of time. Born as Janet Rosenberg in Chicago, mother of two children and lived (1920-2009). 01.01.1999-31.12.1999 President of the Confederation Ruth Dreifuss, Switzerland A former trade union-leader, she was Councillor of Interior in 1992-2002 and Vice-President 1998-99. (b. 1939-).

01.04.1999-01.10.1999 and 01.04.2008-01.10.2008 Captain Regent Rosa Zafferani, San Marino Director in the Department of Finance, Budget and Programs before she was elected to the Consiglio Grande e Generale in 1998. Secretary of State of Health, Social Security and Provision 2002-04, Secretary of State of Public Education, University and Cultural Institutions from 2004 and 2005-06 also in charge of Internal Affairs. (b. 1960 in USA). 08.07.1999-08.07.2007 President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Latvia Born in Latvia and grew up in refugee camps in Germany, went to school in French Morocco, University studies in Canada. Retired from the Universite de Montreal in 1998, after being a professor of psychology there since 1965 and involved in various scientific and administrative committees, among others as Vice-Chairperson of the Science Council of Canada.

She moved to Latvia as Director of the newly created Latvian Institute in Riga. Candidate for the Post of Secretary General of the United Nations in 2006. Married to her fellow countryman, Imants Freibergs, also exiled in Canada, who moved to Latvia in October 1999. Mother of a son and a daughter. (b. 1937-). 01.09.1999-01.09.2004 Executive President Mireya Moscoso Rodrï¿½gez, Panama Since 1991 President of the Arnolfist Party (now Panameï¿½ista), 1994 Presidential Candidate. As Executive President she is also head of the Cabinet, and she is the first female President to have officially appointed a First Lady - her sister, Ruby Moscoso de Young. She was constitutionally barred from running for re-election. Mireya was first married to President Arnulfo Arias Madrid (1901-88) who was President of Panama 1940-41, 1949-51 and 1968. Married to Mr.

Gruber 1991-97 and mother of an adopted a child. (b. 1946-). 01.03.2000-01.03.2012 President Tarja Halonen, Finland Member of Parliament 1979-2000, 1984-87 Chairperson of the Social Affairs Committee and Member of the Presidium of the Parliament, 1987-1990 Second Minister of Health and Social Affairs (Health Minister) and 1989-1991 Minister of Nordic Co-operation, 1989-91 Co-leader of Soumen Sosialidemokraattinen Pulolue, The Social Democrats. 1990-1991 Minister of Justice 1995-2000 Minister of Foreign Affairs. The position as President is very powerful - especially concerning foreign politics. Mother of one daughter. In August 2000 she married her partner trough a decade, Pentti Arajï¿½rvi. They did not live together before they moved into the Presidential palace. Mother of one daughter. (b.

1943-). 01.04.2000-01.10.2000 Capitano Reggente Maria Domenica Michelotti, San Marino Former lecturer at San Marino University and Member of the Consiglio Grande e Generale since 1998. She is widow and her married name was Casadei Michelotti. Mother of two girls (b. 1952-). 20.01.2001-30.06.2010 Executive President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, The Philippines As executive GMA is also Head of the Cabinet. 1987-1989 she was Assistant Secretary and 1989-92 Undersecretary of Trade and Industry and Senator 1992-98. Secretary of Social Development and Welfare 1998-2000 and The President charged her with the leadership of the Cabinet Meetings. In 2000 she resigned from her cabinet-post after President Estrada was accused of accusations. In January 2001 he was forced to vacate the presidency and she succeeded him.

2002 and 2003 also Minister of Foreign Affairs and 2003 and 2006-07 Minister of Defence. 2004 she was re-elected to the post of President. In 2011 she was arrested on charges for electoral fraud. Daughter of the late President Diosdado Macapagal and Dr. Evangeline Macaraeg-Macapagal, mother of two sons and a daughter (b. 1947-). 23.07.2001-20.10.2004 Executive President Megawati Sukarnoputri, Indonesia When Megawati Setyawati Soekarnoputri became leader of the Democratic Party in 1993, she triggered the opposition against President Quarto. In 1999 her party won the most seats in the Parliament, but Abdulrahman Wahid was elected President. This caused serious riots all over the country and she was elected vice-President the following day. In August 2000 the ailing President Wahid charged her with the running of the daily business of the government and state and she chaired the cabinet meetings.

At the 23rd of July he was ousted and she inaugurated as President. In 2004 she lost her bid for re-election. Ibu Mega, as she is known, is daughter of Indonesia's founding father Sukarno, is married for the 3rd time and mother of 3 children. (b. 1946-). 30.12.2002-04.02.2004 Acting President Natasa Micic, Serbia As President of the Assembly since 2001, she became Acting President since the attempt to elect a President failed twice. She continued her duties as Chairperson of the Parliament. (b.1965-).

01.10.2003-31.03.2004 Capitano Reggente Valeria Ciavatta, San Marino 01.04.2014-10.10.2014 Capitano Reggente Member of the Grand and General Council for the Alianza Populare since 1993 and Chairperson of the Council Group 2002-05, Party President 2006, Minister of Minister of Internal Affairs and Civil Protection and Accomplishment of the Programme 2006-12. As Captain Regent, she was joint head of a state with a man, and also President of the Parliament and Head of Government. Mother of twins. (b. 1959-).

23.11.2003-25.01.2004 Acting Executive President Nino Burjanadze, Georgia 25.11.2007-20.01.2008 Acting Executive President As Chairperson of the Parliament 2001-08, she took over after former President Eduard Shevardnadze was forced to resign as result of a "velvet revolution" after he rigged the parliamentary elections and in 2007 she aced as President again as the incumbent, Mikheil Saakashvili, resigned to run in the January 2008-elections. President of Burjanadze-Democrats 2003-08 and of Democratic Movement - United Georgia since 2008 and Presidential Candidate in 2013. Her full name is Nino Anzoris asuli Burjanadze, and her surname is also transcribed as Burdzhanadze. Mother of two children. (b. 1964-).

06.07.2004-08.07.2004 Member of the Joint Acting Presidency Barbara Prammer, Austria As Vice-President of the National Assembly she assumed the Presidential duties together with the two other members of the Presidium, when the outgoing President died two days before his successor was to take office in July. She was a former Federal Minister, President of the Nationalrat from 2006 until her death and a leading member of the Social Democrats of Austria, SPï¿½ She lived (1954-2014) 01.04.2005-01.10.2005 Capitano Reggente Fausta Simona Morganti, San Marino In 1974 she was one of the first three women elected to the Consiglio Grande e Generale.

1978-83 and 1988-92 Minister of State of Culture, Education and Justice, In the late 1990s Leader in Partito Progressista Democartico Sammarinese and Chief of the Parliamentary Group from around 1997 to 2002 and then again later in 2002 and Secretary of State of Public Education, Universities, Cultural Institutions and Social Affairs in 2002. (b. 1944-). 16.01.2006- Executive President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberia 1972-73 and 1977-79 Secretary of State of Finance, 1979-80 Minister of Finance, 1980 President of the National Bank, 1980-85 worked for the World Bank, 1985-86 in house arrest after her return, 1990-92 Leading member of exile-government of Amos Sawyer in United States of America, 1992-97 African Director of the UNDP (United Nations Development Program).

From 1997 Leader of the Unity Party. Presidential Candidate in 1997, Candidate for the Chairmanship of the National Transitional Government in 2003 and finally won the presidential elections in November 2005. She is divorced, mother of a number of children, and grandmother. (b. 1938-). 11.03.2006-11.03.2010 Executive President Michelle Bachelet Jeria, Chile 11.03.2014- Executive President 2000-02 Minister of Health and 2002-04 Minister of Defence. Her father, a general, was killed by the Pinochet dictatorship. Her boyfriend was also detained, tortured and disappeared. She and her mother were also detained and tortured and afterwards lived in exile in Australia and East Germany. She returned to Chile in 1979 and worked for various NGOs helping children of the tortured and disappeared. She had two children with her first husband and a daughter with her former partner. (b. 1952-).

01.01.2007-31.12.2007 President of the Confederation Micheline Calmy-Rey, Switzerland 01.01.2011-31.12.2011 President of the Consideration Former President of the Socialist Party of Gï¿½nï¿½ve, she was President of the Grand Conseil of Gï¿½nï¿½ve 1993, Councillor of Finance 1997-2002, Vice-President of the Cantonal Government 2000-01 and President of the Cantonal Government 2001-02. Federal Foreign Minister 2003-11 and Vice-President in 2006 and 2010. Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf was elected Vice-President for 2011, the first time two women would fill the two highest post in the country. (b. 1945-).

The Executive Mansion Biographical Brief of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Photo Credit: Emansion Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the 24th President of Liberia and Africa’s first democratically elected female Head of State; is serving her second term as President after winning the 2011 presidential election. She’s one of the three who won the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate in 2011. Madam Sirleaf has throughout her career demonstrated passionate commitment to hard work, integrity, good governance and has been advocating for the rights of women and the importance of education to provide a better future for her country and its people. Born Ellen Eugenia Johnson in Monrovia on October 29, 1938, she is the granddaughter of a renowned Traditional Chief of western Liberia and a daughter of market woman from the southeast. She grew up in Liberia and attended high school at the College of West Africa in Monrovia. Subsequently, she studied at Madison Business College, University of Colorado and Harvard University Kennedy School of Government where she obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Administration in 1971.

Her entry into politics began in 1972 when she delivered her famous commencement address at graduation convocation of her alma mater (College of West Africa) in which she sharply criticized the government and demonstrated her determination to speak the truth no matter the consequences. This was the start of a distinguished professional and political career spanning nearly four decades. In 1975 she joined the then Treasury Department in Liberia, rising to the position of Minister of Finance in 1979 where she introduced measures to curb the mismanagement of government finances. After the 1980 military coup d’état, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served as President of the Liberian Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) but fled Liberia as a result of the increasingly suppressive military dictates of the government that same year. She traveled to Kenya and served as Vice President of CITICORP’s Africa Regional Office in Nairobi, and later moved to Washington, D.C. to assume the position of Senior Loan Officer at the World Bank, and as Vice President for Equator Bank.

In 1992 she joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as Assistant Administrator and Director of its Regional Bureau of Africa with the rank of Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations. However, with her country still very much at heart, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf resigned in 1997 to return home and contest the general and presidential elections and was ranked second in votes to opponent Charles Taylor. She went into self-imposed exile in Côte d'Ivoire where she kept a close eye on Liberian politics. During that time she established, in Abidjan, Kormah Development and Investment Corporation, a venture capital vehicle for African entrepreneurs, and Mesuagoon, a Liberian community development NGO. In 2003 when the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) was formed, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was selected to serve as Chairperson of the Governance Reform Commission where she led the country’s anti-corruption reform by changing the reporting mechanism of the General Auditing Commission from the Executive to the Legislature, thereby strengthening and reinforcing its independence.

She resigned this position to successfully contest the 2005 general and presidential elections; resulting in her historic inauguration on January 16, 2006, as President of the Republic of Liberia. After decades of fighting for freedom, justice and equality in Liberia, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has spent more than nine years rebuilding post-conflict Liberia. She has revived national hope by strengthening the institutions of national security and good governance, leading the revitalization of the national economy and infrastructure, including the construction of more than 800 miles of roads, and restoring Liberia’s international reputation and credibility. President Johnson Sirleaf has built strong relations with regional partners and the international community, attracting investment of over $16 billion in Liberia’s mining, agriculture and forestry sectors, and off-shore oil exploration to provide jobs for her people. Her leadership has led to more than $4 billion in debt relief in June 2010 and to the lifting of UN trade sanctions to allow Liberia access international markets. She has increased the national budget from $80 million in 2006 to more than half a billion in 2011 and has driven annual GDP growth to at least 7 percent in the same period.

President Johnson Sirleaf is Chairperson of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance; having succeeded the founding Chair, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete in January 2012. ALMA is an alliance of African Heads of State and Government working to end malaria-related deaths. She served as Chairperson of the Mano River Union where she leads the effort for political stability and economic cooperation among Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire. The Liberian leader is also Goodwill Ambassador for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Africa. She was a founding member of the International Institute for Women in Political Leadership; was designated in 1999 by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) (now African Union) to serve on the committee to investigate the Rwanda genocide; was a Commission Chair for the Inter-Congolese Dialogue; and was selected by UNIFEM as one of two persons to investigate and report on the effect of conflict on women and women’s roles in peace-building. Prior to her ascendancy to the Presidency, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served on many advisory boards, including the International Crisis Group (USA) and Women Waging Peace (USA).

She is also a proud recipient of numerous prestigious awards including: the FAO CERES Medal (2008); the Crisis Group Fred Cuny Award for the Prevention of Deadly Crisis (2008) for outstanding leadership in democracy, development and peace-building in Africa; and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2007), the highest civilian honor bestowed by an American President. President Sirleaf has been recognized amid numerous honors such as 14 honorary degrees from American colleges and universities. In 2010, Newsweek magazine listed Johnson Sirleaf as one of the ten best leaders in the world; Time placed her among the top ten female leaders; and the Economist called her “the best President the country has ever had.” The President

Question: Who was the first elected female head of state in Africa?
Answer: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf