How many countries have had a female leader?
Data Scavenger Hunt
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above:
How many United Nation member states are there?
How many countries have had a female leader?
Have more countries had or not had a female leader?
Has your country had a female leader?
Describe any geographical patterns in where countries have had female leaders.
Big Brain Questions
Answer these questions by yourself using your brain and the links below:
List one thing the visual makes you wonder:
Overall, 59 UN member states have ever had a woman leader. The first was Sri Lanka, where Sirimavo Bandaranaike served her first term as prime minister for nearly five years starting in 1960. Why do you think the U.S. has never had a female leader?
When do you think the U.S. will first elect a female leader?
Worldwide, the advance of women into positions of authority has not corresponded evenly with their economic or political emancipation. China has had a female head of state, Soong Ching-ling, yet for decades enforced a brutally sex-selective one-child policy. On the other hand Spain has passed "equality laws" mandating that political parties include 40-60 percent of each sex among electoral candidates, and yet it has not had a woman lead its government in the modern era. Explain whether having female leadership guarantees change for female citizens.
There had been zero female leaders before 1960. As of 2023, there had been 59 female leaders. Considering all of human history, why do you think it took until the last 100 years for this change to happen and what do you think was the catalyst (reason) for that change.
Write and Discuss
Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.
Act on your Learning
Want to see more women in politics. Check out how She Should Run is encouraging female political participation.
Get Creative
Imagine the U.S. has just elected their first female president. Describe how that would change American society and culture.