From Jone Johnson Lewis,
Your Guide to Women's History.
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How many women have served as Presidents or Prime Ministers in the 20th century? How many can you name?

I've listed women leaders of countries both large and small. Many names will be familiar; some will be unfamiliar to all but a few readers.

Some were highly controversial; some were compromise candidates. Some presided over peace; others over war. Some were elected; some were appointed. Some served briefly; others were elected; one, though elected, was prevented from serving.

Many followed into office their fathers or husbands; others were elected or appointed on their own reputations and political contributions. One even followed her mother into politics, and her mother served a third term as prime minister, filling the office left vacant when the daughter took office as president!

Follow the links on the names below, to find biographies, news articles, speeches and background information to learn more about these pioneer women leaders.

1. Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Sri Lanka
   Prime Minister, 1960-1965, 1970-1977, 1994-2000.
2. Indira Gandhi, India
   Prime Minister, 1966-77, 1980-1984.
3. Golda Meir, Israel
   Prime Minister, 1969-1974.
4. Isabel Peron, Argentina
   President, 1974-1976
5. Elisabeth Domitien, Central African Republic
   Prime Minister, 1975-1976
6. Margaret Thatcher, Great Britain
   Prime Minister, 1979-1990.
7. Maria da Lourdes Pintasilgo, Portugal
   Prime Minister, 1979-1980.
8. Lidia Gueiler Tejada, Bolivia
   Prime Minister, 1979-1980.
9. Dame Eugenia Charles, Dominica
   Prime Minister, 1980-1995.
10. Vigdís Finnbogadóttír, Iceland
    President, 1980-96.
11. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Norway
    Prime Minister, 1981, 1986-1989, 1990-1996.
12. Soong Ching-Ling, Peoples' Republic of China
    Honorary President, 1981.
13. Milka Planinc, Yugoslavia
    Federal Prime Minister, 1982-1986.
14. Agatha Barbara, Malta
    President, 1982-1987.
15. Maria Liberia-Peters, Netherlands Antilles
    Prime Minister, 1984-1986, 1988-1993.
16. Corazon Aquino, Philippines
    President, 1986-92.
17. Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan
    Prime Minister, 1988-1990, 1993-1996.
18. Kazimiera Danuta Prunskiena, Lithuania
    Prime Minister, 1990-91.
19. Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, Nicaragua
    Prime Minister, 1990-1996.
20. Mary Robinson, Ireland
    President, 1990-1997.
21. Ertha Pascal Trouillot, Haiti
    Interim President, 1990-1991.
22. Sabine Bergmann-Pohl, German Democratic Republic
    President, 1990.
23. Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar (Burma)
    Her party won 80% of the seats in a democratic election in 1990, but the military government refused to recognize the results. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
24. Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh
    Prime Minister, 1991-1996.
25. Edith Cresson, France
    Prime Minister, 1991-1992.
26. Hanna Suchocka, Poland
    Prime Minister, 1992-1993.
27. Kim Campbell, Canada
    Prime Minister, 1993.
28. Sylvie Kinigi, Burundi
    Prime Minister, 1993-1994.
29. Agathe Uwilingiyimana, Rwanda
    Prime Minister, 1993-1994.
30. Susanne Camelia-Romer, Netherlands Antilles
    Prime Minister, 1993, 1998-
31. Tansu Çiller, Turkey
    Prime Minister, 1993-1995.
32. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, Sri Lanka
    Prime Minister, 1994, President, 1994-
33. Reneta Indzhova, Bulgaria
    Interim Prime Minister, 1994-1995.
34. Claudette Werleigh, Haiti
    Prime Minister, 1995-1996.
35. Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Bangladesh
    Prime Minister, 1996-.
36. Mary McAleese, Ireland
    President, 1997-.
37. Pamela Gordon, Bermuda
    Premier, 1997-1998.
38. Janet Jagan, Guyana
    Prime Minister, 1997, President, 1997-1999.
39. Jenny Shipley, New Zealand
    Prime Minister, 1997-1999.
40. Ruth Dreifuss, Switzerland
    President, 1999-2000.
41. Jennifer Smith, Bermuda
    Prime Minister, 1998-.
42. Nyam-Osoriyn Tuyaa, Mongolia
    Acting Prime Minister, July 1999.
43. Helen Clark, New Zealand
    Prime Minister, 1999-.
44. Mireya Elisa Moscoso de Arias, Panama
    President, 1999-.
45. Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Latvia
    President, 1999-.
46. Tarja Kaarina Halonen, Finland
    President, 2000-.

I've included Tarja Kaarina Halonen because, by most reckonings, the year 2000 is actually part of the 20th century. (The year "0" didn't exist, so a century starts with the year "1" - or so the logic goes.) As the 21st century arrived, yet another was added: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo - President of the Philippines, sworn in on January 20, 2001. Mame Madior Boye became Prime Minister in Senegal in March of 2001. Megawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of founding head of state Sukarno, was selected as Indonesia's fifth president in 2001 after losing in 1999. We can only hope that many others will be on a list of Women Presidents and Prime Ministers for the 21st century. I've limited this list, however, to the history of women heads of state for the 20th century, and will not add anyone who took office after 2001.

Additions or corrections? I've checked this list carefully, but there may be a few omissions or errors. (Please let me know via e-mail. If you include a link to a source on the web for the correct information, it will speed up the changes. Thanks!

Text copyright 1999-2005 © Jone Johnson Lewis.