Who Run The World?….. Girls!

Beyonce recently released her much anticipated 1^st single off her upcoming album title ‘4.’ Known for songs about woman empowerment and endearment, Beyonce stays true to her core and affirms that girls run the world.

While many women rule their households, their presence on the world stage has been few and far in-between. Men continue to dominate leadership roles in politics and in many high appointed positions. However, women are beginning to make significant inroads in world politics and are having a say on how to run the world.

For the first time in Egyptian history, a woman has announced her candidacy to run for this year’s presidential election. Talk show host Buthaya Kamel has chosen to embark on this monumental path after the ousting of former president Mubarak. Prior to his departure, only candidates, all of whom were male, who were approved by Mubarak and rubber stamped by his Parliament could run for presidency in the country. While many pundits doubt Kamel’s prospects of being leader of the African nation, one cannot help but commend and admire her for taking such a bold step.

There are quite a few women leaders throughout the Diaspora, who aspiring world leaders like Kamel can look to for guidance and inspiration. Fellow African country Liberia is led by the continent’s first and only elected female head of state – President Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf. While Liberia continually struggles to overcome the effects of its civil war, Johnson-Sirleaf has been credited in trying to repair her country and its broken relationships with other African Nations.

The Diasporas in Latin America and the Caribbean also have women who are in charge of running their countries. Brazil recently elected Dilma Vana Linhares Rousseff as their 36^th President. Costa Rica is another Latin American country who has a woman in charge; with President Laura Chinchilla Miranda being the nation’s first elected president when she took office in 2010. Prime Minister Kamla Pardad-Bissessar of Trinidad also holds the title of being her country’s first female leader. Other countries including India, Bangladeshi, Germany, Argentina, Finland, Ireland and Kosovo have all appointment women to be leaders of their country.

One can only imagine the pressures imposed upon these women in the male dominated arena of politics. The fact that they were able to overcome these pressures and inevitable obstacles that accompany them, speak volumes to their hard work, dedication and determination. Many have long argued for the appointment of more women in positions of power because their position as nurturers mean that they will me more inclined to wanting to help. While this presumption is not true of every woman, it is hard to evaluate its validity, given the fact that women in leadership positions are still scarce. Although they still have a long way to go, women are making tremendous inroads and are gradually invading spaces that were once off limits.