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Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
CURRENT
FEMALE PRESIDENTS
OF PARLIAMENTS
AND
PARLIAMENTARY BODIES
Also see
Female Presidents of Parliaments 1920-2007
Female Heads of Assembly prior to the 20th Century
Female Heads of Parliamentary Bodies
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1999-
Speaker of the National Assembly Ntlhoi Motsamai, Lesotho
2002- Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community
Parliamentary Forum
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She
was Deputy Speaker 1996-99. |
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2000-
Speaker of the House of Representatives Alix Boyd Knights, Dominica
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Former human Right's Advocate |
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Around 2000- President of the Kotu Nui The Tika Mataiapo Dorice
Reid, Cook Islands (In Free Association with New Zealand) |
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The
Kotu Nui or Council of Chiefs is a council consisting of sub-chiefs.
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2001-
Presiding Officer of the House of Assembly Anne Mitchell-Gift, Tobago
(Trinidad and Tobago) |
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Head
Librarian of Tobago, a self-ruling island. |
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2003- Co-President of the Polish-Ukrainian Parliamentary Assembly
Jolanta Danielak (Poland) |
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From 2001 Vice-Marshall of the Polish Senate. (b. 1954-). |
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2004- Speaker of the House of Representatives D. Gisele
Isaac-Arrindell, Antigua and Barbuda |
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Giselle Isaac is
the
country's third Speaker, she was the second woman to be appointed
Speaker of the House - but the first woman was not elected to the
House until 2004. She is a social activist and novelist. |
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2004-
President of the General Council Nassimah Magnolia Dindar, Réunion
(French Oversea's Territory) |
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As
President of the General Council she is also Head of the Government. She
was Vice-President of the Regional Council 2001-04 (b. 1960-). |
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2004- President of the Parliament of the African Union Gertrude
Ibengwe Mongolla (Tanzania) |
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Tanzanian Minister of State by the Prime Minister 1982-86, 1986-89
Minister of National Resources and Tourism, 1989-90 Minister without
Portfolio by Premier Minister
Between 1990-93 Ambassador to India, 1993-95 Secretary General for
United Nations-Women's Conference, 1996-2004 Special Representative of
the Secretary General of the United Nations on Women’s Development.
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2005- President the Senate Hazelyn Francis, Antigua and Barbuda |
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A
retired educator, she was Senate Vice-President 2004-05. |
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2005-
Speaker of the
Legislative Assembly
Edna Moyle, Cayman Islands (British External Territory) |
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She
has been Secretary to the Governor, Deputy Clerk of the Legislative
Assembly and Member of the Assembly since 1992, 1996-2000 as Deputy
Speaker and Minister of Community Development, Sports, Youth Affairs
and Culture 2000-01. |
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2005- President of the Kuvendi i Shqipërisë Jozefina Topalli, Albania |
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She
was Deputy President of the Assembly of Albania 1997-2005 and is also
Vice-President of the Democratic Party. (b. 1963-). |
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2006-
President of the Senate Chief Gelane Zwane, Swaziland |
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The Deputy President of the Senate since 2003, she became bcting
President of the Senate when the former President became Foreign
Minister on 24 February and was elected to the post and later elected to
the post. on 31. March. She was Acting Chief of koNtjingila in the
Shiselweni region in 2004. |
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2006-
President of the Nationalrat
Barbara Prammer, Austria |
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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 2004. She is a former Federal
Minister and leading member of the Social Democrats of Austria, SPÖ.
(b.
1954-). |
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2006- Chairperson of the Tweede
Kamer Gerdi Verbeet, The Netherlands |
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Social Democrat MP from 2001, she was
Member of the Presidium 2005-06. (b. 1951-).
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2006- President of the House of Ariki Ada Rongomatane Ariki,
Cook Islands (Free Association with New Zealand) |
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Her full name is
Rongomatane Ada Teaupurepure
Tetupu Ariki and she is the Rongomatane Ariki of the Ngati
Paruarangi Tribe in Atiu |
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2006- Chairperson of the Mejlis
Akja Nurberdiyeva, Turkmenistan |
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Also known as Akja
Tajiyevna, Akdja,
Akça and Nurberdyyeva.
When the eccentric authoritarian
President Saparmurat Niyazov the Chairman of the Mejlis should have
become acting president in accordance with the constitution, but he
was removed from office and instead a Vice-Premier became Interim
Head of State and she took over the Chairmanship of the Parliament
and in February the following year she was elected to the post on a
permanent basis. She has been the Vice-Chair since 2003. |
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2006-
Chairperson of the Inuit Circumpolar
Council Patricia A. Cochran (Alaska) |
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In 2006 the Inuit Circumpolar Conference changed its
name to Council. |
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2007-08 President of the Senate Dr Rosemarie Husbands Mathurin,
St. Lucia
2008- Speaker of the House of Assembly |
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Independent Senator from 2007. |
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2007-
Chairperson of the Riigikogu Ene Ergma, Estonia |
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She
is D.Sc. in physics and mathematics, Professor since 1988 and
Vice-President of the Estonian Academy of Sciences 1999-2003. Parliament
Chair 2003-07 and Vice-Chair 2006-07 and Presidential Candidate in 2006.
As Parliament Chair she was also Deputy Head of State. (b. 1944-).
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2007- Chairperson of Folktinget Ulla-Maj Wideroos in Finland |
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Group Secretary of Swedish People's Party 1995-99, Deputy Group
Chairperson 1999 and Parliamentary Leader, Group Chairperson
1999-2003 and again from 2007. Second Minister of Finance and
Minister of Nordic Cooperation 2003-07. The two other candidates for
the post of Chair of the Assembly of the Finish speaking people in
Finland were also women. |
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2007-
President of the Senate Lynn Holowesko, Bahamas |
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Lawyer, Ambassador for the Environment
1995-2000,
Senator 2000-2002 and from 2007.
(b. in USA 1935-). |
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2007-
President of the Andean Parliament Ivonne Juez de Abdel-Baki (Ecuador) |
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Ivonne Leyla Juez Abuchakra de Abdel-Baki is also known as Ivonne Juez
Abuchakra de Abdel-Baki or Ivonne A-Baki, as she is normally known, was
ambassador to USA 1999-2002, Presidential Candidate 2002 and Minister of
External Commerce 2003-05. |
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2008- Speaker
of the Legislature Judith Won Pat, Guam (United States External
Territory) |
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The Democratic majority took control of the legislature, as the
Republican minority refused to give up their leadership-positions,
about one year before the new legislature takes office. |
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2008- Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Fahmida Mirza, Pakistan |
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Also known as Fehmida, she is a medical
doctor, and has been MP for Pakistan People's Party since 1997. (b.
1956-).
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2008-
Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis Diloram
Gafurjanovna Tashmukhamedova, Uzbekistan |
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Her name is also
transcribed as Dilorom Tashmukhamedova. She was First Secretary of
the Political Council of Social and Democratic Party of Uzbekistan
“Adolat” (“Justice”), Head of the Parliamentary Faction and
Presidential Candidate in 2007 and received 2,9% of the vote.
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2008- President
of the
Skupština
Slavica Đukić-Dejanović, Serbia |
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Dukic-Dejanovic is Vice-President of the
Socijalističke partije Srbije |
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2008- President of the Senate Joan Purcell, Grenada |
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Minister of Labour and Women 1984-85,
Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Women's Affairs 1990-93,
Minister of Works, Community Development, Public Utilities and Women
1993-95 and Minister of Information,
Carriacou
and Petit Martinique Affairs 1995 Twice Acting Prime Minister and from
around 1996 Deputy Leader and 1998-99 acting Leader of the National
Democratic Congress and Candidate for the post of Prime Minister, MP
for
Carriacou
and Petit Martinique till 1999, when The New National Party won all 15
seats in the House of Representatives.
Appointed Senator in 2008. As Senate President she is also Deputy to
the Governor General.
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2008- President of the Umutwe w'Abadepite Rose Mukantabana,
Rwanda |
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Member of the
/La Chambre des Députés/Chamber of Deputies from 2008, which has 56%
female members, the highest number in the world. Before the elections
the number was
48,8%. Second is Sweden with
45,3. |
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2008- President of the
Camera
Deputaţilor Roberta Anastase, Romania |
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MP for the Democratic Party
2004-07 and from 2008 and Secretary of the Parliamentary Group 2004-05,
Observer to European Parliament 2005-06 and elected member 2007-08. (b.
1976-). |
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2008- President of Baltic Sea
Parliamentary Conference
Christina Gestrin (Finland) |
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Finish MP, Vice-President of the Nordic Council in 2008 and Member
of the Presidium from 2009. |
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2009- Speaker of the Parliament
Joyce Bamford-Addo, Ghana |
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Retired Supreme Court Judge in 2003. (b. 1941-). |
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2009- Speaker of the House of Representatives Jennifer
Gonzáles Colón, Puerto Rico (USA External Territory) |
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MP from 2002. Vice-Chairperson of the Republican Party. (b. 1976-). |
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2009-
Speaker
Elizabeth Yaminde Renner, Malawi |
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Teacher, School Principal, Nominated Member of
Parliament 1990-04 and from 2009, Deputy Ombudsman 2007-09. (b. ca.
1950-). |
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2009-
President of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva, Bulgaria |
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Former
Vice-President of the World Bank and MP from 2009. |
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2009- Speaker of
the Seimas
Irena Degutiené, Lithuania |
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Medical Doctor, 1994-97 Vice-Minister of Health, Minister of Labour
and Social Affairs 1997-2000, Acting Prime Minister twice in 1999
and Deputy Speaker of the Seimas.(b. 1949-). |
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2009-
President of the Dom Naroda
Dušanka Majkić, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
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Former Chairperson of the Serbian Caucus in the House of Peoples of
the Federation. |
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2009-
Speaker of the National Assembly Margaret Nasha,
Botswana |
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Former TV-journalist and Civil
Servant, 1991-94 Ambassador to United Kingdom,
1994-97 Assistant Minister and 1997-98 Minister of
Local Government, Lands and Housing, 1998-99 Minister of
Minerals, Energy and Water Affairs and 1999-2009
Minister of Local Government. |
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2010- President of Assembleia da República
Veronica
Nataniel
Macamo, Mozambique |
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Veronica Macamo was Vice-President of the Assembly from 1999, the last
years as the First Deputy. Also member of the Pan African Parliament. |
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2010- President of the Senado Ana
María Romero de Campero,
Bolivia |
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Minister of Information in 1979 and
Later Public Defender or Ombudsperson. |
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2010-
President of the National
Transition Council Rabiatou Serah Diallo, Guinea |
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The Secretary General of the
Workers Confederation, she was one of the two candidates
which received the same number of votes when the
opposition decided on who to nominate as Prime Minister.
The Military Junta nominated the man and instead she
became head of the interim legislative body composed of
101 Guineans from civil society, political parties,
religious groups as well as members of the ruling
junta's council during the period of transition until
the first democratic elections since 1958. (b. 1949-). |
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2010- President of the Cámera de
Representantes Ivonne
Passada, Uruguay |
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Member of the House from 2005. (b. 1956-). |
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2010- Speaker of the House of Assembly Barbara Webster-Bourne,
Anguilla (UK External Territory)
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An educator, she was appointed to the position after the elections in
which no women were elected. |
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2010-11 President of the Cámera de Diputados Alejandra
Sepúlveda
Orbenes, Chile |
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In 2006 her party, the
Partido Demócrata Cristiano, DC,
had chosen her to take over the presidency of the Chamber of Deputies
in 2008, but she left the party in January 2008. Vice-President of DC
2001-03 and MP from 2002. (b. 1965-). |
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2010- Speaker of the Legislative Council Teresina Bodkin
Bodkin, Montserrat (UK External Territory) |
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A former secondary school math teacher, she served as
Director of Statistics for the Government of Montserrat
for 15 years |
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2010- Speaker of the Poslanecká Sněmovna
Miroslava Nemcová, The
Czech Republic |
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Vice-Chairperson
of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and Shadow Minister of
Culture of the ODS from 2002, also Deputy Speaker of
the Chamber of Deputies from 2002 and became Acting Speaker when her
predecessor resigned a 1. May one month before the elections and
elected to the position on 24. June. (b. 1952-). |
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2010-
Chairperson of the Nationale Assemble Jennifer
Simons-Geerlings, Suriname, Suriname |
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Parliamentary Leader of Millennium Combinatie
2000-05, Vice-Presidential Candidate and candidate for
the post of Parliamentary Speaker in 2005 and
Parliamentary Leader of DNP 2005-10. |
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2010- President of the Senate Leonne
Theodore-John, St. Lucia |
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Lawyer and member of the United Workers Party.
(b. 1969) |
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2010- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Robyn Adams,
Norfolk Island (Australian External Territory) |
Deputy Clerk 1981-84 and
Clerk 1984-2010 until she was elected to the Assembly.
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2010- Chairperson of the Staten
Gracita Arrindell, Sint Maarten
(External
Territory of the Netherlands) |
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Leader of the
People's Progressive Alliance in Sint Maarten 2003-10
until she joined the
United People's party. |
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2010-11
President of the Bundesrat
Hannelore Kraft, Germany |
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Member of the Landtag of NRW since 2000, Minister of
Federal- and European Affairs 2001-05 and Minister of Science and Research
in 2005, Parliamentary Leader of the Social Democrats 2005-20, State
Chairperson of the party from 2007 and from 2009 Federal Vice-Chairperson
and from 2010 Minister President of Nordrhein-Westfalen and as such
President of the Council of States from November 2010 to November 2011 and
also Deputy Head of State. (b. 1961-).
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2010- Speaker of the
Saeima
Solvita Āboltiņa, Latvia |
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Solvita Aboltina
worked in the Foreign
Ministry 1993-2003, Member of the Saeima 2002-04 and
again from 2006, Minister of Justice 2004-06 and Acting
Minister of Defence 2005-06, Vice-Chairperson of the
Parliamentary Faction of Jaunais laiks (New Ara Party)
since 2006-08, Party Leader from 2008, Vice-President
2009-10 and President of
of the Saeima from 2010. (b. 1963-). |
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2010-
Speaker of the National Assembly
Anne Semamba Makinda,
Tanzania |
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Minister of State by the Prime Minister 1983-86, Minister
of State of Capital Development by the President 1987-89 Minister of State by
the 1. Vice-President and Prime Minister 1989-90, Minister of Community
Development 1990-92, Minister of Social Affairs 1990-94, Minister of Women’s and
Children's Affairs 1990-95, Regional Commissioner 1995-2000
and
Minister of Community Development
1994-95 and
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly
2005-10.
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2010- President of the
National Assembly
Pany
Yathotou, Laos |
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Cabinet Member and
Governor of the Central Bank 1987-98 and In 1998 she became member of
the National Assembly and Chairperson of the Committee of Ethnic
Affairs and Vice-President of the Assembly (the
Sapha Heng)
2001-10. Also member of the Politbureau. |
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2011
Co-President of the The Consiglio Grande e Generale
Maria Luisa Berti, San Marino |
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Member of the Consiglio Grande e Generale for Noi
Sammarinesi since 2008 and as Captain General she is also joint chair
of the parliament. (b. 1971-) |
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2011- Chairperson of the Constitutional Council
Salvör Nordal, Iceland |
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Director of the
University of Iceland Ethics Institute, she heads the Assembly that is
to draw up a proposal for a new constitution of Iceland. |
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2011- President
of the Assembleia da
República Maria da
Assunção Esteves,
Portugal |
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Social Democrat (Conservative) MP
1987-89, 2002-04 and from 2011, Judge at the
Constitutional Tribunal 1989-98, MEP 2004-09. (b. 1956-) |
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2011-
Speaker of the National Assembly Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga,
Uganda |
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Rebecca Kadaga
was State Minister of Foreign Affairs for International
Cooperation
1996-99 and
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs 1999-2001
and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament 2001-11 (b. 1956-)
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2011-12 President
of the Bundesrat Susanne
Neuwirth, Austria |
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Member of the City Council of Salzburg
1987-2004, Deputy Chairperson of the SPÖ Faction in the Bundesrat
2004-11, Secretary 2004-08 and Vice-President of the Bundesrat 2008-11
(b. 1956-) |
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2011- Speaker of the House of Representatives
Marisa Colleen
Dalrymple-Philibert, Jamaica |
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Deputy Speaker 2007-11. |
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2011- President of Tynwald and
of the Legislative Council Clare
Christian, Isle of Man |
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Member of the government in different
positions since 1981. (b. 1945-) |
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2011-
Lord Speaker of the House of
Lords
Baroness
D'Souza, United
Kingdom |
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Frances D'Souza is a scientist, and was appointed an independent peer
in 2004 and took the name Baroness D'Souza, of Wychwood in the County
of Oxfordshire and Convenor of the Crossbench Peers
2007-11. (b. 1944-) |
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2011- President of Andean Parliament
Rebeca Delgado Burgoa
(Bolivia) |
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Bolivian MP and former Vice-Minister of the Ministry of the Presidency |
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2011-
President of the General
Assembly of
the Organization of American States
María
Ángela Holguín-Cuéllar
(Colombia) |
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Angela Holguin was
Chief of Cabinet, Secretary General of the Ministry of External
Affairs, 1996-97, Vice-Minister of External Relations in 1998,
Ambassador to Venezuela 2002-04 and Ambassador to the United
Nations 2004-06. She was offered the post of
Ambassador to France in 2006 but refused. Foreign Minister of
Colombia from 2010. |
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2011-
President of the Assembly
Christen Springette, Nevis (St. Kitts and Nevis) |
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Special
Advisor for Education in the Premier’s Ministry 2006-11. |
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2011- Chairperson of the Federation Council Valentina
Ivanovna Matviyenko, Russia |
| First secretary of the Communist
Committee of the Krasnogvardeiski District in Leningrad 1984-86 and
then Deputy Chairperson the Leningrad Council of the People's
Deputies, Ambassador, 1991-95 and 1997-98 before becoming
Vice-Premier until 2003 when she became Representative of the
President North-West Russia federal district, Governor of Saint
Petersburg 2003-11. (b. 1949-). |
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2011- President of the Senate
Sabine de Bethune,
Belgium |
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Sabine Louise Caroline barones de Bethune was
Vice-President of the
Senate 1999-2003 and Chairperson of the Senate Group of CD&V (Flemish Christian
Democrats) 2003-11. (b. 1958-) |
Last
update 25.09.11
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