When it comes to leading nations, many women have proven themselves to be as good as their male counterparts, if not better.
In your Sunday Night Movie The Independent, the United States is gracefully waiting to elect either its first female president (Ann Dowd) or independent candidate (John Cena).
Here’s a look at women who have led countries.
Mary Robinson
Feminist, lawyer, and human rights activist Mary Robinson became the seventh President of Ireland in 1990. As the first woman to hold the post, this became a victory for all Irish women. Robinson fought hard on behalf of women treated as second-class citizens.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Dubbed “Africa's Iron Lady”, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected President of Liberia in 1995, making her the first woman to head an African state. She was re-elected in 2011. Sirleaf is recognised as a global leader in women's empowerment.
Dilma Vana Rousseff
Elected by then President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Dilma Vana Rousseff served as the 36th President of Brazil from 2011. According to various reports, Rousseff was removed from office in 2016 for manipulating the budget.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović
Trailblazer Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovi was the first female president in the history of the Croatian state. She held this role from 2015 to 2020. Before her role as President of Croatia, among other things, Grabar-Kitarovi served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, again being the first female to serve in this position.
May the best man (or woman) win. Catch The Independent this Sunday at 21:00 CAT on M-Net 101 or stream it on DStv Stream. Join the conversation on social media @mnetmovies on X, @MNet on Facebook, @mnettv on Instagram, and @mnet on TikTok.
Image source: Alamy