International Women's day
Across the week, at Culture Club Shop we have celebrated International Women's day by recognising and shining the spotlight on 5 amazing female political pioneers that have made an impact on the world.
Mia Mottley
We began our weeks celebration of wonderful women with Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados.
Born 1st October 1965, on the beautiful island of Barbados, Ms Mottley has gone on to become the islands eighth and first female Prime Minister on 25th May 2018. Before this incredible position she served in the opposing party as the leader of the Barbados Labor Party from 2008-2010 and once again from 2013-2018 where she was a Member of Parliament.
Prior to this, from 1994-2001 Mia Mottley became one of the youngest to people to be assigned a ministerial portfolio, where she was appointed Minister of Education, Youth affairs and Culture. With being credited for being the visionary behind the Education Sector Enhancement Programme she aims to increase the number of young people that contribute to the islands sustainable, social and economic development.
With a degree from the London School of Economics, Ms Mottley is an Attorney-at-law specialising in advocacy, whilst also a Barrister of the Bar of England and Wales.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Continuing to shine the spotlight on African and Caribbean female political pioneers. We showed appreciation for Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Former President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, born October 29th, 1938, is one of three Nobel prize for peace recipients for her efforts to further women’s rights.
As the first woman to be elected head of state of an African country, she also won re-election November 2011, and inaugurated January 16th, 2012, to a second and last term in office.
Ellen is recognised for her leadership of Liberia during the country’s devastating years of conflict and the positive changes that took place under her administration in Liberia.
She has been awarded the 2017 Ibrahim prize for Achievement in African Leadership. Ellen’s career has shown nothing but passion, commitment to hard work, good governance, integrity, advocacy for the rights of women and how important education is for a better future for her country and its people.
Dame Mary Eugenia Charles
Another pioneer we focused on is Dame Mary Eugenia Charles, born May 15th, 1919, in Dominica, lived a politically active life, being the first female lawyer in her native land and went on to be the first woman in the Caribbean to be elected Prime Minister.
In the 1970s, Ms Charles was appointed to the Legislature and the House of Assembly. She also co-founded the Dominica Freedom party and then later went on to become the Leader of the opposition in 1975, which helped her country resign colonial rule November 3rd, 1978.
Often titled ‘The Iron Lady of the Caribbean’ Dame Mary Eugenia Charles held her position of Prime Minister for 15 years, which showed her commitment and dedication to set principles and fearlessly giving utterance to her own beliefs no matter that of the oppositions.
Sahle-Work Zewde
We also shed light on the first woman President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Sahle-Work Zewde was elected as the fifth President October 25th, 2018.
Her career began in the Ministry of Education where she later progressed and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1988. For 10 years she served as an Ambassador in Djibouti and was the Permanent Representative to the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development.
Sahle-Work was appointed the level of Under-Secretary-General, as the first devoted Director-General of the United Nations Office in Nairobi. She was then appointed by the Secretary-General as his Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union, making her the first woman to hold these two positions.
Sahle-Work has also served as the Ethiopian ambassador to several other countries which include Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, The Gambia, Cape Verde, Guinea and France.
Kamla Persad-Bisessar
Our final focus in this weeks celebration we acknowledge Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Born 4th April 1952 in Siparia, Kamla Persad-Bissessar is the first woman to serve as Attorney General, Leader of the opposition and acting Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
Since January 2010 Kamla has served as the political leader of the United National Congress of Trinidad and Tobago and as the leader of the opposition since September 2015.
Coming from a career in social work, Kamla Persad-Bissessar began her career in law in 1985 and entered the Hugh Wooding Law School where she graduated two years later named as the top student. She entered politics in 1987, where she became an alderman for the National Alliance for Reconstruction in the ST. Patrick County Council.
We hope that you found this post informative and we continue to #breakthebias against women and society continues to give women the credit they deserve, as from this post we sure know we can do all things.
