List of the first women holders of political offices
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of political offices which have been held by a woman, with details of the first woman holder of each office. It is ordered by country, by dates of appointment. Former countries, such as Yugoslavia, are also listed.
Africa
Asia
Europe
North America
Oceania
South America
International organizations
African Union
- President of the Pan-African Parliament – Gertrude Mongella – 2004 (at its founding)[1]
- Vice President of the Pan-African Parliament – Elise Loum – 2004[2]
- Chairperson of the African Union Commission – Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma – 2012[3]
European Union
- President of the European Parliament – Simone Veil – 1979[4]
- President-in-Office of the European Council – Margaret Thatcher – 1981[5]
- European Commissioner – Christiane Scrivener / Vasso Papandreou – 1989[6]
- Leader of the Socialist Group and of any major party – Pauline Green – 1994[7]
- Co Vice-President of the European Commission – Loyola de Palacio – 1999[8]
- First Vice-President of the European Commission – Margot Wallström – 2004[9]
- High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy – Catherine Ashton – 2009[10]
- President of the European Commission – Ursula von der Leyen – 2019
League of Nations
- Substitute Delegate and Ambassador to the League of Nations – Elena Văcărescu – 1922[11]
- Permanent Delegate and Ambassador to the League of Nations – Elena Văcărescu – 1924[11]
United Nations
- Head of the section of Welfare Policy – Alva Myrdal – 1949[12]
- Chairman of UNESCO's social science section – Alva Myrdal – 1950[12]
- President of the United Nations General Assembly – Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit – 1953[13]
- Permanent Representative – Agda Rössel (Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations) – 1958[14]
- Head of the United Nations Children's Fund – Carol Bellamy – 1995[15]
- United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights – Mary Robinson – 1997[16]
- Deputy Secretary-General – Louise Fréchette – 1998[17]
- Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme – Anna Tibaijuka – 2000[18]
- Under-Secretary-General – Inga-Britt Ahlenius – 2005[19]
- Assistant-Secretary-General – Helvi Sipilä – 1972[20]
- President of the International Court of Justice – Rosalyn Higgins – 2006[21]
- Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme – Helen Clark – 2009[22]
- Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund – Christine Lagarde – 2011[23]
