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FEMALE
MINISTERS
OF DEFENCE
The Portfolio
of Defence have remained mainly a male domain. In the beginning it was
mainly held by female Presidents or premier ministers
- but this is slowly changing. Deputy Minister can be found in
Women in governments by country
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1960-65 and 1970-77
Minister of Defence
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike, Sri Lanka |
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As Prime Minister she was also Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defence
and Employment. See biography at Premier Ministers. She
lived
(1916-2000) |
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1975-77
Minister of Defence
Indira Gandhi, India |
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1964-66 Minister of Information and as Prime Minister she was also
Minister of External Affairs 1967-69 and 1984 and holder of various
other portfolios. See biography at Premier Ministers.
She lived (1917-84) |
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1985-90
Minister of Defence
M. Eugenia Charles, Dominica |
| As Prime
Minister she was also Minister of Foreign Affairs and holder of a
number of other Portfolios. See biography at Premier Ministers. She
lived
(1916-2005). |
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1987-88 Minister for Defence Industry, Science and Personnel Ros
Kelly, Australia
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1987 Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Industry, Science and
Personnel, 1988-90 Minister for Telecommunication and Aviation
Support, 1990-91 Minister of Tourism, 1990-94 Minister of Arts,
Sport, Environment and Territories, 1992-94 Member of the Inner
Cabinet, 1993-94 Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Status
of Women. (b. 1948-) |
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1988-90
Minister of Defence
Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan
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During her first tenure as Prime Minister 1988-90 she was also
Minister of
Defence, Atomic-Energy, Finance, Economy, Information
and Establishment. See biography at Premier Ministers. Killed
by a suicide bomb, and lived (1953-2007). |
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1989-93 Associate Minister of National Defence Mary Collins, Canada
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Progressive Conservative MP 1984-93, 1990-93 Minister Responsible
for the Status of Women, 1993 Minister of State (Environment), 1993
Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State
for Environment, 1993 Minister of National Health and Welfare (b.
1940-)
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1990-97
Minister of
Defence
Violeta Barrios
de Chamoro, Nicaragua |
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As Executive President and Head of the Cabinet she was also Minister
of Defence. See biography at Presidents
(b. 1929-) |
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1990-95
Minister of Defence
Elisabeth Rehn, Finland |
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Between 1983-87 Chairperson of the Law-Committee and Member of
the Presidium of the Edskunan,1987-90 Parliamentary Leader of
Svenska Folkpartiet (Swedish Peoples Party) 1991-95 Minister of
Equality, 1994 and 2000 Presidential Candidate, 1995-97 Member
of the European Parliament, 1995-99 Assistant Secretary General
of the UN, 1995-98 UN-Commissioner for Human Rights in the
former Yugoslavia 1998-99 UN Representative and Special
Coordinator in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Personal Representative
of Secretary General Koffi Annan responsible for Police and
other Operations. (b. 1935-)
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1991-96 and 2001-06
Minister of Defence
Begum Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh
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As Prime Minister 1991-96 and 2001-06 she was holder of a number
of other Portfolios. See biography at
Premier Ministers
(b. 1945- ) |
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1993
Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs
A. Kim Campbell, Canada |
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See biography at
Premier Ministers. (b. 1947-) |
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1993-97 Secretary of The Air Force Shiela E. Widnell,
United States of America
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| The
Secretary of the Air Force together with the Secretaries of the Army
and Navy together with the Secretary of Defence make up the
Leadership of the Department. |
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1994-2001
and 2003-05
Minister of Defence
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Sri Lanka |
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As Executive President was is also Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces and also held the
Portfolio of Minister of Defence until her party lost the
parliamentary elections in 2001, when she resigned all her
cabinet posts. In
2003 she dismissed the Ministers of Defence, Interior and
Information and took over those portfolios.
See
Presidents.
(b. 1945-)
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1995-99 Minister
of Defence Anneli
Kariina Taina, Finland |
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In 1995 she was Second Minister of Environment for Housing
and from 2004 Governor
of Södra Finland Län/Etelä-Soumen Lääni
(b. 1951-). |
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1996-2001
and 2009-
Minister of Defence
and Armed Forces Division
Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Bangladesh
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As Prime Minister 1996-2001 and from 2009 she held and holds a
number of Portfolios. See biography at
Premier Ministers. (b. 1945- ) |
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1996-98 Minister for Defence Industry, Science and Personnel
Browyn Bishop, Australia
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President of Liberal Party of New South Wales 1985-87 and Minister
for Aged Care 1998-2001.
In
2004 she lost her party's internal electon for the
government-nominee for the post of Speaker of the House of
Representatives to a man who never held any important political
office in his 22 years as an MP.
Member of the Speaker's Panel from 2004. (b. 1942-). |
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1997-2001
Associate Minister of Defence
1997-2000 Minister for Veterans Jocelyn Newman, Australia
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Senator for Tasmania since 1986 and 1994-96 Shadow Defence Minister.
1996-97 Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Status of Women
and since 1996 Minister of Family and Community Service and Minister
Assisting the Prime Minister on the Status of Women (b. 1937-) |
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1999-2000 Defence Minister Eldbjørg Løwer, Norway |
Between 1981-85 Deputy Leader of Venstre, 1984-88 Mayor of
Kongsberg, 1997-99 Minister of Labour and Administration (b.
1943-)
|
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2000 Minister of Defence Cristian Matus Rodríguez,
Nicaragua
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Former administrator in the government and 1999-2000 Vice-Minister
of Defence
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2001-05
Minister of Defence Kristin Krohn Devold, Norway |
| MP for the
Conservative Party for a number of years. (b. 1961-) |
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2001 Acting Minister of Defence
Joyce Mujuru,
Zimbabwe |
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A
general during the anti-colonial under the name of Teurai-Ropa
Nhongom,
she has held various ministerial posts from 1980, since 1997 as
Minister of Rural Resources and Water Development.
Also ZANU-Party Secretary of Education.
She acted as Defence Minister for two months. |
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2001-04
Minister for Veteran’s Affairs
2001-03
Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Danna Vale,
Australia |
| Liberal
MP since 1996 and member of various committees. (b. 1944-). |
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2002-04
Minister of Defence
Dr. Michelle Bachelet Jeria, Chile |
| Minister
of Health 2000-02 and Minister of Defence 2002-04 and resigned to
run for president and won the second round in January 2006, making
her president-elect poised to take office on 11. March.
Her father, a general, was killed by the Pinochet dictatorship, she
and her mother were tortured and she lived in exile for some years.
Twice divorced, she is mother of 3.
(b. 1952-). |
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2002-07 Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs
Michèle Alliot-Marie, France
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1986-88 Secretary of State for Education, 1993-95 Minister of Youth
and Sports.
From 1994 1. Vice-President of the General Council of the Department
of Pyrénées-
Atlantique, 1999-2002
President of RPR, Rally for the Republic. Minister of Interior from
2007. (b. 1946-)
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2002-07 Minister of Security
Cynthia "Mother" Pratt, Bahamas
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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Security (In charge of the Defence
Force and Police). She was Opposition Whip Ca. 1992-2000 and from ca.
2000 Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the
Progressive Liberal Democratic Part. Acting Prime
Minister in May-June during ilness of the Premier. She is aformer
nurse, she is mother of 6 children (b. 1947-) |
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2002-03
Minister of Defence Dr. Zeljka Antunovic, Croatia
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Dr. Željka Antunović is a medical doctor and has been member of
parliament since 1995 and is Deputy Premier Minister (Social Affairs)
since 2000. (b. 1955-)
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2002-03
Minister of Defence
Martha Lucía Ramírez de Rincón, Colombia
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1991-98 Vice-Minister and 1998-2001 Minister of External Trade.
Ambassador to France 2001-02.
Since she took over, security
had improved with murders and kidnappings sharply reduced.
No reason was given for her resignation. |
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2002 Minister of Defence Lena Hjelm-Walén, Sweden
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Member of the Riksdag for the Social Democrats since 1969. 1973-76
Minister without Portfolio for Schools, 1982 Minister of Labour, 1982-85
Minister of Education and Culture, 1985-91 Minister of International
Development, 1994-98 Minister of Foreign Affairs
1995-96 and 1998-2002
Vice-Premier. (b. 1943-)
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2002-06 Minister of Defence Leni Björklund, Sweden |
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Secretary General of the Swedish Church
(Lutheran) since 1999. (b. 1944-)
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2002 Minister
of Defence Mame Madior Boye, Sénégal |
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The Premier Minister 2001-02, she
took over as Minister of Defence after the former incumbent resigned after
almost 1.000 persons died in a ferry-disaster. She is former Minister of
Justice and Keeper of the Seals in 2000-2001. (b.1940-) |
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2003-04
Minister of Defence Sylvia Flores
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| Also Minister of
National Emergency Management.
Former Mayor of Belize City, she was Speaker of the House of
Representatives
1998-2001 and President of the Senate 2001-03 and from 2004 Minister of Human Resources. |
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2003
and 2006-07
Minister of Defence Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, The Philippines |
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The Philippine President since 2001 was in charge of the Foreign Affairs
Portfolio throughout July 2002. See more details in
Presidents.
In 2003 she took over the defence-portfolio for a few months and again
from the end of November 2006 to the end of January 2007.
(b. 1947-)
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2003-04
Minister of Defence Filomena
Mascarenhas Tipote, Guinea Bissau |
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2000-01 Secretary of State, in 2001 Minister of Employment and
Poverty Control, 2002-2003
Minister of Public Works, Labour
and Employment.
(b. 1969-). |
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2003
Acting
Navy Secretary
Susan Morissey Livingstone,
USA |
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1993-98
Vice-President of the US Red Cross,
1998-2001 Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Chairperson of the
Association of the United States Army
and since
2001
Undersecretary of the Navy |
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2003-04
Associate Minister of National Defence and Minister of State
for
Civil Preparedness Albina Guarnieri,
Canada |
Liberal MP from 1988
and
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Communication (Canadian Heritage)
and to the Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship 1993-96.
From 2004 Minister of Veteran Affairs.
(b.
1953-).
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2004 Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence
Fran Bailey, Australia |
Also Minister for Employment
Services. She was Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister for Defence 2001-04. From 2004 Minister for
Small Business and Tourism (b. 1946-).
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2004-06 Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence
and Minister of Veteran's Affairs De-Anne Kelly,
Australia |
National
Party MP 1996-2007, Member
of the Speaker’s Panel
of the House of
Representatives
1997-2002, 2003-04 Parliamentary Secretary of
the
Leader and the Deputy Leader of the National Party. 2006 she was demoted to
the post of Parliamentary Secretary of Trade and Parliamentary Secretary of
Transport and Regional Development in 2007.
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2005-08
Minister of Defence
Azucena Berrutti,
Uruguay |
A human
rights advocate and attorney. In the 1980's she worked as Secretary General
of the City Administration of Montevideo. (b. 1929-).
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2005- Minister
of Defence Anne-Grethe Strøm-Erichsen, Norway |
Deputy Mayor
1998-1999, Mayor of Bergen 1999-2000, Leader of the City Council 2000-2003,
Councillor in the City Government 2003-05. Member of the Leadership of
Arbeiderpartiet. (b. 1949-).
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2005- Minister of Defence Nilda Garré, Argentina |
MP for the
Frente Justicialista de Liberación 1973-76 and afterwards active in the
fight against the dictatorship, MP again 1995-99, 2000 and 2001-05,
Secretary of Political Affairs in the Ministry of Interior 2000-01 and
Ambassador to Venezuela in 2005. (b. 1945-).
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2005-07
Associate Minister of Defence Annette King, New Zealand |
1987-90 Parliamentary
Under-Secretary for Employment, Youth
Affairs, Tourism and Social Welfare,
1989-90 Minister of Employment, Immigration and Minister of Youth Affairs
and Minister Assisting the Prime
Minister to liaise between the Cabinet and Caucus,
1999-2005 Minister of Health, 1999-2002 Minister of Racing, 2002-06 Minister
for Food Safety, 2005-07
Minister of State Services, including the
co-ordinating responsibility for Race Relations and Associate Minister of
Trade, 2005-06 Associate Minister of Trade, Minister of Police from 2005,
Minister of Trade and Minister of Justice and the Law Commission from 200
(b. 1947-).
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2005-06 Acting Minister of Defence Solvita Āboltiņa, Latvia
(23.12-05.01.06) |
Solvita Aboltina worked in the Foreign Ministry
1993-2003 and Member of the Saeima 2002-04 before being appointed minister
of Justice in 2004. (b. 1962-).
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2006 Minister
of Defence Linda Mūrniece,
Latvia |
Linda Murniece
was also Second in the Cabinet. She was
Paliamentary
Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior 2002-04,
Deputy Chairperson of the New Era Party in
2004 and Parliamentary Secretary of Defence 2005-06 and Minister of Interior
from 2009. (b. 1970-)
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2006-07
Minister of Defence
Viviane Blanlot Soza, Chile |
Until her
appoinment she was Executive Secretary of the National Energy Commission.
She will take office on 11. March.
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2006- Minister
of Defence
Cristina Fontes Lima, Cape Vede |
Maria Cristina
Lopes Almeida Fontes Lima
was Minister of Justice 2001-06,
Minister of
Local Administration
2001-02, Minister of Interior 2002-04, Minister Adjunct to the
Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson 2004-06, also Minister of the
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
2006-08 and
Minister of State Reform from 2006.
(b. 1958-).
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2006-07
Minister of Defence Portia Simpson-Miller, Jamaica |
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Also Prime Minister and Minister of Sports. Since 1976 MP,
1976-82 Parliamentary
Secretary of the Prime Minister, Deputy President of People's National
Party 1978-2006 and President from 2006. Minister of Labour, Social
Welfare and Sports 1989-2000, Minister of Tourism, Entertainment, Sports
and Women’s Affairs 2000-02 and Minister of Local Government,
Community Development and Sport 2002-06. (b. 1946-). |
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2007-09 Minister of Defence
Vlasta Parkanová, Czech Republic |
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Member of Parliament 1990-1992 and again
since 1997 for the KDU-CSL. Minister of Justice 1997-98. She was
nominated twice for the post of defence ministers in the prolonged
futile attempts to form a government after the elections in June.
Chairperson of the Club of
Christian-Democratic Union - Czechoslovak Peoples' Party (KDU-CSL) in
the Chamber of Deputies 2006-07. Deputy Prime Minister in 2009.
(b. 1951). |
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2007 (†) Minister of Defence
Guadalupe Larriva González,
Ecuador |
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MP and National President of the Partido
Socialista Ecuatoriano 2002-07. Died in a helicopter crash after 10 days
in office. She lived (1956-2007). |
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2007 Minister of Defence
Lorena Escudero Durán,
Ecuador |
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Non-political member of a number of human
rights NGOs. National Secretary of Migration from 2007. |
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2007 Acting Minister of Defence Marina
Pendeš, Federation of Bosnia and Hercegovina (09.02-22.04) |
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Deputy Minister of Defence since 2004, she
acted as the designated Defence Minister, Selmo Cikotic is not able to
asume his duty until 22 April, when a three-years long ban between
leaving the active military duty and performing civil tenure willl
expire. She is (b. 1964-). |
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2007- Secretary General of Defence with
Rank of Minister
Ruth Tapia Roa, Nicaragua |
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Ruth Esperanza Tapia Roa Herrera is a
former spokesperson of the Supreme Court, she was appointed Chief
Executive of the Ministry after a period of vacancy. (b. 1961-). |
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2007 Minister of Defence
Yuriko Koike, Japan |
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2003-06
Minister of Environment,
2004-06
Minister of
State in charge of Okinawa and Northern Territories, 2005-06 Minister of
State of Global Environment Issues and 2006-07 National Defence Advisor
of the Prime Minister. (b. 1952-). |
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2007-09 Minister of Defence Cécile Manorohanta, Madagascar |
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Cécile Marie Ange Dominique Manorohanta was appointed Vice-Minister
of Education and Scientific Research earlier in 2007. |
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2007-08 Minister of Veteran Affairs Isabel Buscardine,
Guinea-Bissau |
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2008- Minister of Defence Carme Chacón i Piqueras, Spain |
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First Vice-President of the Congess
2004-07 and Minister of Housing 2007-08. Had her first child in 2008.
(b. 1971-). |
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2008-Minister of Defence
Elsa Maria Neto D’Alva Texeira de Barros Pinto,
São Tomé e Príncipe |
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Elsa Texeira Pinto was Secretary of State of Reform of the State
and Public Administration 2002-03 and 2003-04 and Minister of Justice
2005-05 |
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2008-Minister of Defence
Ljubica Jelušič,
Slovenia |
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Professor of defence studies at the Ljubljana Faculty of
Social Sciences. |
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2008- Minister of Defence Rasa Juknevičienė, Lithuania |
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MP and Deputy Leader of Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats
(HU/LCD). (b. 1958-). |
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2008- Minister of Veteran's Affairs Judith Collins, New Zealand |
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Also
Minister of Police and Corrections.
National MP from 2002. |
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2008-
Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control Georgina te Heuheu
, New Zealand |
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Also Minister for for Courts, Pacific Island Affairs and Associate
Minister of Maori Affairs. National MP since 1996, 1996-98 Chairperson
of the Maori-Affair’s Committee of the Parliament and Minister for
Courts and Women’s Affairs, Associate Minister in charge of Treaty of
Waitangi Negotiations and Associate Minister of Health 1998-99. (b.
1943-). |
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2008- Associate Minister of Defence Heather Roy, New Zealand |
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Also Minister of Consumer Affairs and Associate Minister of Education.
MP from 2002 and Deputy Leader of ACT New Zealand since 2006, which
joined the National Party Government in 2008, but remained outside the
cabinet. (b. 1964). |
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2009- Minister of Defence and Veteran
Affairs Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu, South
Africa |
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ANC Activist since the
1970s, and Military training specializing in Intelligence 1977-79, Deputy
Minister of Home Affairs 1996-2001, Minister of
Intelligence 2001-04 and Minister of Housing 2004-09.
(b. 1954-). |
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2009- Minister of Defence Bidhya Devi
Bhandari, Nepal |
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Minister for Population and Environment in 1997 and Vice-president
of the Nepal Communist Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist).
(b. 1961-) |
Last update 08.06.09
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