|
Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
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FEMALE
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES
AND
AMBASSADORS
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
|
|
|
1948 Mo
Yun-suk, South Korea
|
|
Special Ambassador, Leader of Delegation to United Nation's General Assembly
meeting in Paris.
|
 |
1950-52 Ana Figueroa
Gajardo, Chile |
|
Delegate to the United Nations with rang of Minister
Plenipotenary, delegade to the Commission of Human Rights
1950-52 and President of the Social, Cultural and Humanitarian
Commission . Member of the Security Council in
1952.
|
 |
1950-71
Minerva Bernardino, The Dominican Republic |
| 1971-76
Ambassador to The Netherlands. She lived (1907-98) |
|
1958-64
Agda Rössel, Sweden |
|
Sometime member
of the Security Council. She was ambassador to Bulgaria and
Yugoslavia 1964-69, Czechoslovakia 1969-73 and Greece 1973-76. She
lived (1910-2001) |
|
1970-73 Emilia Castro
de Barrish, Costa Rica |
| Member of the Security Council 1971. |
 |
1972-76 Jeanne
Martin-Cisse, Guinea |
| In
1972 she was President
of the Security Council (November-December), 1964-71
Deputy President of Assemblée Nationale
and 1976-84 Minister of
Social Affairs
in Guinea.
(b. 1926-) |
 |
1975-77 Angie
Brook-Randolph, Liberia |
| Assistant Secretary of State of Liberia 1956-73, Delegate to the
UN from 1955, 1956 Vice-Chairperson and 1961 chairperson of the
Committee of Trust and Non-self Government Territories, 1961
Vice-President of the Committee on Information on Non-Self-government Territories, 1962 Chairperson on the
Commission for Ruanda-Urundi, 1965 Vice-President, 1966
President of the Trusteeship Council and 1969-70 President of
the United Nation's General Assembly and Judge in the Supreme Court from 1977.
She lived (1928-2007)
|
|
Ca. 1976 Marie-Jo
McIntyre, Grenada |
| Concurrently
Ambassador to Canada. Her country's first female ambassador. |
 |
1977-79
Dr. Gwendoline C. Konie, Zambia |
| Ambassador
to Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland 1974-77 and
to
Belgium, European Union and Germany 1992-99/2000. Also former
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and of the
Cabinet Office. In 2000 she founded the Social
Democratic Party and in the following year she announced
her candidacy for the presidency. |
 |
1980-87 Giovinella
Gonthier, Seychelles
|
| 1987-89 Ambassador to the European Union,
France and USA. 1989 she moved to USA. |
|
1981-85 Hanna Abedou Bowen Jones,
Liberia |
| 1975-78
Minister of Post, 1977-78 Minister of Communication, 1978-81
Minister of Health and Social Security and 1983-84
Vice-President of the General Assembly of the
United Nations.
|
|
1981-88 Edmonde
Dever, Belgium |
| She was Deputy Representative 1966-69.
Ambassador to Sweden and 1978-81 to Austria |
 |
1981-85
Hon. Dr. Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, United States of America |
| Jeanne
Duane Jordan Kirkpatrick was also
member of the Cabinet Member. She was in question as
vice-Presidential running-mate for Bush 1988, and later Professor
in International Relations at Georgetown University.
She lived (1926-2006)
|
|
1982-83
Biyémi
Kekeh, Togo |
| 1978-81
Minister of Social Affairs, Health and Women and 1981-82
Ambassador to Cuba.
|
|
1982-85 Simone
Mairie, Cameroon |
|
Director in the
Foreign
Ministry 1968-82
followed by various
diplomatic postings.
(1939-).
|
|
1982-88 Francesca
Pometta, Switzerland
(Observer) |
| Later Ambassador to
Italy etc. From around 1997 Chairperson of the Holocaust
Victims' Foundation. |
 |
1986-88 Nora
Astorga Gadia, Nicaragua |
| A
leading commander in the civil war she was Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs 1984-86. Also ambassador to USA 1986-88, but her credentials was
never accepted- Died of cancer, lived (1944-88)
|
 |
1986-90 Dame Nita Barrow, Barbados |
| Head of national and international nurse-organizations before becoming Ambassador to the UN, Cuba and the
Dominican Republic. Governor-General of Barbados 1990-95 and lived (1916-95). Died in office. |
|
1986-96 Margaret E. McDonald, Bahamas |
| 1980-86
Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service of
Bahamas. Also
Ambassador to USA |
 |
1988-92 Dr. Marjorie R.
Thorpe, Trinidad
and Tobago |
| Deputy
Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
1992-995. Resident Representative of the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Barbados and the
Eastern Caribbean and Coordinator of the United Nations System
Operational Activities for the same area
1995-1999 and member of a
number of commissoins and panels. In 2001 she was the
nominee of the United National Congress for the post of Speaker of
the Parliament, but a man was elected. |
 |
1989-91 Ursula H.
Barrow, Belize |
| 1993-98 Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Vatican and
the European
Union. 1994 she married Viscount Waverly of West Dean, and
had her only child, Hon. Forbes Anderson, two years later. (b. 1955-). |
 |
1989-90
Dame Margaret Hercus, New
Zealand |
| 1984-87
Minister of Social- and Women's Affairs. 1998-99 UN
Representative to Cyprus, since 1999 Personal Representative of
the UN Secretary General. (b. 1944-)
|
 |
1989-96 Chan Heng
Chee,
Singapore
|
|
Concurrently Ambassador to Canada and Mexico, since 1996 Ambassador to USA.
|
 |
1990-2002 Claudia Fritsche, Liectenstein |
| 1980-87
a number of diplomatic postings and secretary to the
Parliamentary Delegation to the Council of Europe and EFTA.
1987-89 1st. Secretary in Germany, 1989-90 1st. Secretary in
Austria. Ambassador to USA since 2000. She is both the first UN Ambassador since
Liechtenstein joined the UN and the country's first female
ambassador. (1952-) |
|
1992-98 Annette des Iles, Trinidad
and Tobago |
| 1980-85,
1985 Ambassador to Ecuador Resident in Venezuela, 1985-86 and 1986-89 Permanent Secretary of External Affairs and -Trade and
1989-92 of Youth, Sports and Culture. Concurrently with her
posting to the UN she was also Ambassador to Venezuela, Columbia
and Peru.
1994-97
Chairperson of the The Alliance of Small Island States.
From 2000 Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister.
|
 |
1992-95 Louise
Frechette, Canada |
| Ambassador to Argentina and Uruguay
1985-92, Deputy Minister of Defence, 1995-98, First Deputy
Secretary General of the United Nations
1998-2006.
(b. 1946-)
|
 |
1992-95
Dr. Lucille Mathurin Mair,
Jamaica |
| 1975-78
Ambassador to Cuba (As the first Woman), ca. 1976-81 Ambassador
to USA and Canada, 1981-86 Assistant
Secretary General of the UN Decade for Women,1989-92 Minister of
State of External Affairs (Senator)
|
 |
1992-99
Akmaral Kh. Arystanbekova,
Kazakstan |
| 1987-89
Member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet and 1989-91
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Republic of Kazakstan,,
1992-99 also Ambassador to Cuba, 1994-95 Vice-President of the
49th Session of the UN General Assembly. Ambassador
to France from 1999. (b. 1948-) |
 |
1992-95 Narcisa L.
Escaler, Philippines |
| Career
diplomat with a number of postings in various countries. Ca.
1997-2000 Deputy Director of the International Organization for
Migration. |
 |
1993-97 Madeleine Korbel Albright,
United States of America |
| Secretary of State 1997-2001. See Female Foreign Ministers
for more details. |
 |
1993 (Acting) Janet Jagan, Guyana |
| Active
in politics since the 1950s, in 1993 she was
Ambassador-at-Large and Acting Permanent Representative to the UN.
Her career culminated
when she became Prime Minister in 1997 and was President 1997-99. See Presidents
(1919-) |
 |
Around
1993
Robin Mauala, Samoa
|
| Later worked with the Pacific Forum |
 |
Around
1993 Jean George, Trinidad and Tobago
|
| Public
servant and probably Deputy Permanent Representative. |
 |
1994-95
Dr. Lala-Shovket Gadjieva, Azerbaijan |
| 1993-94
State Secretary in President's Office, she was appointed
UN-ambassador but newer took up the position. Since ca. 1998
chairperson of the Liberal Party (b. 1951-). |
 |
Ca. 1994-99 Dr. Sonia Leonce-Carryl, St.
Lucia (Chargé d'Affaires etc.) |
|
Since 1999 Deputy Permanent Representative
and Minister-Councillor,
in 2004 she was Deputy Chief of Staff of the President of the UN
General Assembly (The Minister of External Affairs of St. Lucia) |
 |
1995-2002 Migonette Patricia
Durrant, Jamaica |
| Deputy
Permanent Representative to the United Nations 1983-87,
Ambassador to Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, the
Netherlands, Switzerland and the Holy See 1987-92 and
Director-General of Jamaica's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Foreign Trade 1992-95. Member of the Council 2000-2001 and
is President in November 2001 . |
 |
1995-
Dr. Aksoltan Toreevna Ataeva, Turkmenistan |
| 1985-88
Deputy Minister of Health, 1990-94 Minister of Health and 1994-95
Minister of Social Affairs. |
 |
1996-99 Zamira
Eshmambetova, Kyrgyzstan |
Afterwards
United Nations Municipal Administrator in Kosovo
|
 |
1997-2001 Dr. Penople Anne
Wensley, Australia |
| 1992-95
Ambassador for the Environment, 1993-95 Permanent
Representative to UN in Génève and Ambassador of Disarmament. |
 |
1998-2000 Cristina Aguíar,
Dominican
Republic |
Also a
permanent delegate to the Sixth Committee (ECOSOC) on the status
of women and also in the deliberations of the Third Committee
(Social affairs and Human rights). She is also a law professor
and lecturer throughout North America and Europe.
|
 |
1998-2005 Marjatta Rasi, Finland |
| 1987-91
Deputy Permanent Representative (Ambassador) to UN, Ambassador
to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka 1991-94, Head of
Finland's Development
Agency 1994-98. President of the
UN Economic and Social Council in 2004. (b. 1945-) |
|
1998 Olga Keltšová,
Slovakia |
| 1990-1991
Vice-President of the Slovak National Council, 1992-94 and 1994-98
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, from
1994 Vice-Chairperson of HZDS. She was in office as UN Representative
from March to November (b. 1943-). |
 |
1999-2004 June Yvonne
Clarke, Barbados |
| Ambassador
to Canada 1996-99. 2002-03 she was Vice-President of the General
Assembly of the United Nations. |
 |
1999-2003 Madina B.
Jarbussynova, Kazakstan |
|
MP 1991-95 and a Diplomat
afterwards. 1998-99 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Concurrently
with her posting to the UN she is also Ambassador
to Cuba.
2003
Vice-Chairperson of the General Assembly and Acting Chairperson
17.2-12.3 during the absence of the Chairman. Her surname is also
spelled Jarbusynova. (b. 1954-) |
 |
1999-2001
Elmira S. Ibraimova, Kyrgyzstan
|
| Until
1999 she worked at Moscow State University in the Economy
Department. |
 |
1999-2000 Mahawa Bangoura
Camara, Guinea |
| In
1995 Ambassador to USA
and Foreign Minister 2000-02. See Female Foreign Ministers |
 |
1999-2001 Neh Rita Sangai
Dukuly-Tolbert,
Liberia |
| 1977-81 Ambassador to
France and UNESCO, 1978 also to Switzerland, Luxembourg and
Spain. Worked for UNESCO and UNICEF 1981-96. Widow of former
minister of Finance Stephen A. Tolbert. Ambassador to China
from 2004 |
 |
2000-05 Merle Pajula, Estonia
|
| 1993-95
2nd and 3rd Secretary for Press and Information in the Foreign
Minister, 1995-98 2. Secretary at the Embassy to Finland and
1998-2000 Director General in the Foreign Ministry for Press and
Information. (b. 1960-) |
 |
2001-07 Ellen Margrethe Løj, Denmark
|
| Ambassador
to Israel 1989-92, viceudenrigsråd and leader in the Foreign
Ministry 1992-96, State Secretary in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs 1996-2001 (Her title was Udenrigsråd og Chef
for Sydgruppen (Foreign Affairs Councillor and Head of the South
Group) and she was Leader of the Department of Development Aid
within the Foreign Ministry).
2004-07 Member of the Security Council and May 2005 and June 2006
it's
chairperson. Ambassador to the Czech
Republic 2007-08 and Special Representative
of the United Nations Secretary General in Liberia as Chief of
UNMI, the peace-keeping mission with 15.000 soldiers and
policemen. (b. 1948-). |
 |
2001-
Margaret Hughes Ferrari, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
| Prior to
her current appointment, Ms. Ferrari had been a full partner in
the law firm of Hughes and Cummings since 1990. From 1967 to
1990, she was Secretary and Legal Executive at the same firm,
and has held other public functions. Mother of three children.
(b. 1948-). |
 |
2001-03 Luzéria Dos Santos Jaló, Guinea Bissau
|
|
1986-1995, she worked in
several offices of her country's Ministry of Finance, including
the Bureau of Studies, the Department of External Debt, the
Department of Budget and Investment, the Revenue Department, and
the General Inspection of Finance, 1999-2000
President of the Institute of Women and Children. |
 |
2002-03
Irma E. Klein-Loemban Tobing, Suriname
|
| Began her career in 1958 with Suriname’s Ministry of Justice
and eventually became Chief of the Legal Department.
1982-88 Chief of the Department of Juridical Affairs and
Treaties of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1988 Counselor at
the Embassy of Suriname in the Netherlands, since 1994 she
worked at the Permanent Mission of Suriname to the United
Nations recently as Ambassador-at-large at the Permanent
Mission. She has also been Member of Parliament and, since 1993,
she has been a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Mother of two sons. |
 |
2003-06
Prof.
Dr. Judith Mbula Bahemuka, Kenya |
|
Chairperson of the Social and Human Sciences National Committee at
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) National Commission. 1994-98,
professor and Chairperson of the University’s Department of
Sociology, and from 1998
Director of the University of Nairobi’s International Learning
Centre. (b. 1942-). |
 |
2001-
Dr. Paulette A. Bethel, Bahamas |
|
1983-94 Deputy Chief of Mission, first at
the Permanent Mission of the Bahamas to the United Nations in New
York, and then at the Bahamian Embassy and Permanent Mission to
the OAS in Washington, D.C.
and later worked in a number of insurance companies. |
 |
2004-07
Laxanachantorn Laohaphan,
Thailand |
|
A diplomat from 1972, she was Ambassador to
Australia,
Fiji,
Solomon Islands and
Vanuatu
1994-2000.
Worked in the Foreign Ministry 2002-03 and 2003-04
Permanent Representative to the
United Nations in
Geneva.
(b. 1946-). |
 |
2004-06 Nabeela Abdulla Al-Mulla,
Kuwait |
|
From 1977 until
1994, she was a member of the Permanent Mission of Kuwait to the
United Nations in New York, where she held several posts, the last
being Deputy Permanent Representative, 1994-95
Ambassador to Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Mauritius and
Botswana and1996-99
Ambassador to South Africa, Namibia, Mauritius and Botswana,
1999-2004 Ambassador to Austria, Hungary,
Slovakia and Slovenia and Resident
Representative to the United Nations Office at Vienna, the United
Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), and
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
2002-03 Chairperson of the Board of Governors
of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) |
 |
2004- María
de Fátima Lima Veiga,
Capo Verde |
|
Ambassador to Cuba 1999-2001 and
Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs 2001-02
and Minister of Foreign Affairs 2002-04.
(b. 1957-). |
 |
2004-
Carmen María Gallardo
Hernández,
El Salvador |
| 1992 and 1993 Permanent
Delegate to UNESCO
in Paris, in
1994 Ambassador to France and Portugal,
1995-96 Executive
Director of the Foundation for Peace (FUNDAPAZ),
2002-04, Coordinator for International Cooperation
of the Supreme Court of Justice.
(b. 1949-). |
 |
2004-06
María
Ángela Holguín-Cuéllar,
Colombia |
|
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. She was offered the post of
Ambassador to France in 2006 but refused. |
 |
2004-07
Ruth Elizabeth
Rouse, Grenada |
| Ruth
Rouse was High
Commissioner to United Kingdom from 1999 and thereafter
Chief of Protocol to the
Government of Grenada and in a Regional Capacity at the
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States High Commission in Ottawa
Canadaand from 2004 also
non-resident High
Commissioner to South Africa
and Nigeria. |
 |
2004 (Acting)
Aiga Liepina,
Latvia |
|
The Deputy Representative since 2003, she was
Acting
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Representative of Latvia
to the United Nations. Worked in the Foreign Ministry for a number
of years. |
 |
2005-
Kirsti Lintonen, Finland |
|
1990-94 Ambassador to Namibia and Tanzania,
1996-2003
Understate Secretary of Foreign Affairs
2003-05,
Ambassador to South Africa and from 2005 to United Nations. |
 |
2005- Tiina
Intelmann, Estonia |
|
Ambassador to OSCE 1999-2002, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs
2002-05. |
 |
2005-
Marlene Inemwin Moses,
Nauru |
|
A former diplomat she was
Permanent Secretary for Internal Affairs
1999-2000 and Permanent Secretary
for Health and Medical Services 2000-03.
Deputy Permanent Representative 2003-05 and during
that time, she also served as Acting Chief Secretary, and Public
Service Commissioner and Secretary to the Cabinet. |
 |
2005-
Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu,
Tonga |
|
Civil servant from 1983, Deputy Secretary
of Foreign Affairs and Deputy National Authorizing Officer1991-2002
Secretary of Foreign Affairs and National Authorizing
Officer 2002-05. Her husband is Minister of
Finance in Tonga. (b. 1959-). |
 |
2005 (Acting)
Anne Woods Patterson,
United States of America (January-August) |
|
The US Vice-Ambassador and Deputy
Representative in the
Security Council 2004-05,
she
acted as Permanent Representative during a vacancy on the post.
She was Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs 1993-96, Ambassador to El Salvador
1997-2000 and to Columbia 2000-03, Deputy Inspector General
2004-05, and
Assistant Secretary of State from 2005. (b. 1949-). |
 |
2005-
Rosemary Banks, New Zealand |
|
Deputy Secretary of the Foreign Ministry for Multilateral Affairs 2000-05 after various diplomatic postings and international posts.
|
 |
2005- Mirjana Mladineo,
Croatia |
|
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs 2000-03, Ambassador to the European Union 2003-05. |
 |
2005- Solveiga Silkalna,
Latvia |
|
Former Deputy Permanent Representative and Ambassador to
the Council of Europe. |
 |
2006 (Acting)
Caroline Millar, Australia
(February-April) |
|
2005-06
Deputy Permanent Representative, Ambassador and Chargé d'Affaires.
Ambassador for Disarmament and Ambassador and Permanent Representative
to the United Nations at Geneva from 2006. |
|
|
2006- Claudia Blum de Barberi, Columbia |
|
Senator since 1994. As President of the Senate 2005-06 she was also President of
the Congress of the Republic - the union of the upper and lower chamber,
the Chamber of Representatives. Ambassador and Permanent Representative
to the United Nations from 2006.
(b. ca. 1946-). |
|
 |
2006- Lila Hanitra Ratsifandrihamanana, African Union |
|
1997-98 Minister of Scientific Research and Minister of Foreign Affairs in Madagascar 1998-2003 and her country's Ambassador to Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Cape Verde and Côte d’Ivoire
2002-06 before becomming Permanent Observer of the AU. Also known as Ramatoa
Ratsifandrihamanana Lia (b. 1959-). |
|
 |
2007 Ismat
Jahan, Bangladesh |
|
Deputy Ambassador to India 2001-03, Ambassador to the Netherlands 2003-07. |
|
 |
2007- Byrganym
Aitimova, Kazakhstan |
|
MP 1990-93, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sport 1993-96, Ambassador to Israel 1996-2002, Ambassador to Italy 2002-04, Minister of Education and Science 2004-07 and Deputy Prime Minister in 2004. (b. 1953-). |
|
 |
2007- Sanja
Štiglic, Slovenia |
|
Second and First Secretary to the United Nation's Mission 1997-2002 and Alternate Representative to the Security Council 1998 and 1999,
State Under-Secretary and Head of the Minister’s Office 2003-04, Head
of the Division for Relations with the countries of Western, Northern and Central Europe in Slovenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2005-06. (b. 1970-). |
|
 |
2007- Kanika Phommachanh, Laos |
|
Appointed
Permanent Representative designate on 29 August 2006, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1997, Minister Counsellor and Charge d’Affaires
at UN 1991-97. (b. 1951-) |
|
 |
2007- Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti,
Brazil |
|
Diplomat and Director-General of the Department of Human Rights and
Social Affairs and Director-General of the Department of
International Organizations, working within various committees of the United Nations. (b.
1954-). |
 |
2007-
Ochir Enkhtsetseg,
Mongolia |
|
First Secretary and Minister Counseller to the
United Nationions 1992-97, Director-General of the Multilateral
Cooperation Department in the Foreign Ministry 2000-07. (b.
1961-).
|
 |
2007-
Maria Rubiales de Chamorro, Nicaragua |
Minister
Counsellor to the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement 1981-86
and represented Nicaragua in the Security Council 1982-83. ,
Director-General of Foreign Policy for Asia,
Africa and the Non-Aligned Countries in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
1986-90 and Director-General of the Governmental Promotion Agency in
Managua until 2007.
(b. 1948-)
|
|
|
2008- Joy Ogwu, Nigeria |
|
Professor of International Affairs and
Director of the Foreign Affairs Institute through many years and
Minister of Foreign Affairs 2006-07. (b.
1946-). |
 |
2008-
Neneh Macdouall-Gaye,
The Gambia |
Journalist and former Deputy Director of the National Television
Corporation,
2005 Secretary of State of Industry and Employment,
2005-08
Secretary of State, Communication, Information and Technology (b. 1957-). |
Last update 22.03.08 HOMEPAGE
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