In Africa and in South America, two women leaders are making history and inspiring women all over the world.

 

Last January 15, Michele Bachelet emerged as the winner in Chile’s presidential polls. She became the country’s first female president and the third woman elected as president in Latin America. She is set to take office on March 11.

Meanwhile, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was also inaugurated as president of Liberia on January 16. Johnson-Sirleaf has the distinction of being Liberia’s first female president and the first elected woman head of state in the African continent.

Socialist Bachelet won against rival conservative billionaire businessman Sebastian Pinera, with 53.5% of the votes, coming ahead in all but one of Chile’s 13 regions. On the other hand, Johnson-Sirleaf won 59.4% of the votes in Liberia’s November elections. She unexpectedly won over ex-international football star George Weah.

Unlikely winners

In many ways, Bachelet and Johnson-Sirleaf are blazing new trails for African and Latin American women.

At first glance, Socialist Michelle Bachelet—a woman, a single parent, and an agnostic
who has never held any elective position before—seems to be a surprising choice for male-dominated and deeply religious Chile.

And yet, the vibrant 54-year old physician who served as health minister and then defence minister in the outgoing government, topped every major opinion poll from the start. Political analysts say that Bachelet’s popularity can partly be explained by her “warmth and longstanding concern for ordinary people.” But a huge part of it comes from her “real and symbolic connections to Chile’s history.”

Bachelet is a toughened survivor of the Pinochet dictatorship. Her father died of a heart attack during incarceration, while she and her mother were imprisoned, tortured, and eventually allowed to go in exile. Thus for many people, she symbolises “Chile’s struggle to reconcile with its bitter past.”

On the other hand, 67-year-old Johnson-Sirleaf was an underdog in the presidential race. No woman had ever won the presidential elections in Africa. Moreover, she was up against the charismatic political novice Weah—30 years her junior, a national hero and a household name, and the idol of the nation’s disenchanted youth.

Nevertheless, the “Iron Lady,” as fondly called by her supporters, outstripped Weah in credentials. Johnson-Sirleaf is a veteran politician of over 30 years. She has held various international financial posts at the United Nations Development Programme, Citibank and the World Bank. Her emphasis on professional experience combined with her clear plan to rebuild war-ravaged Liberia eventually paid off.

Celebrated victories

Both Bachelet’s and Johnson-Sirleaf’s wins have been highly-celebrated.

In Santiago, hundreds and thousands of Chileans took to the streets shortly after the poll’s results were announced. Entire families cheered and waved banners. Grandmothers could be seen throwing confetti. One cluster of ecstatic women cried out, "Go Michelle! With a woman in power we're going to clean up this mess men have left in our country. We're gonna clean house."

University student Karina Meléndez, enthused: “We are making history, not only because Michelle is a woman, but because she represents a new form of leadership, from the generation that was formed politically under the (Pinochet) dictatorship, and wants to innovate with citizens' participation."

Meanwhile, Johnson-Sirleaf’s victory has generated enormous support and good will in the international community. Sarah Jubril, another women politician from Nigeria, expressed her deep joy: “It’s a historical trend, which is going to be an example to other African countries…I could scream my heart out.”

Johnson-Sirleaf’s win signals to most the start of peace and stability in the nation ravaged by 14 years of conflict and political misrule. At a recent tour of West African capitals, she was greeted with rare enthusiasm. The United Nations Secretary General has extended his congratulations and offered her government continued support. He also made a call to the international community to assist Liberia’s rebuilding process.

A huge responsibility

Now that the euphoria has passed, Bachelet and Johnson-Sirleaf have to deal with the realities of managing their countries and meeting people’s expectations.

Both seem to be aware of their huge responsibility as the first women heads-of-state, as well as the debt they owe to their constituencies, particularly women.

"Who would have thought 20, 10 or even five years ago that Chile would elect a woman as president? It seemed highly unlikely, but it was possible. It is possible because the citizens of the country wanted it. Because democracy allowed it," Bachelet declared before a crowd of some 200,000 cheering women and men during her victory speech.

The Chilean president-elect called for the whole population to work together to tackle the country’s problems. These include a growing gap between rich and poor, rising crime and unemployment, along with health and pension systems in need of reform.

In a country often portrayed as male-dominated, as reflected by a mere 4% of women in the senate and a divorce law introduced just last year, Bachelet has pledged to name a cabinet with an equal number of men and women. She also promised that she would strive to root out Chile’s embedded social divide, improving education and conditions for the less fortunate.

Johnson-Sirleaf likewise acknowledged in her inaugural speech the invaluable role women played in the elections. She said "They stood with me. They defended me. They prayed for me." In her acceptance speech, she pledged to "empower Liberian women in all areas of national life," and to deliver on her government's commitments and targets to promote peace and gender equality.

She called on women across Africa to help govern their countries, saying that she hoped her win would "raise the participation of women not just in Liberia but also in Africa."

She also broke grounds by breaking the silence on the issue of violence against women during her inaugural address. She promised to “enforce without favour” a recently-enacted tougher rape legislation, which widens the definition of rape to include penetration with any foreign object and gang rape, and makes rape a non-bailable offence among other things. She likewise vowed to end Liberia's history of corrupt, brutal and male-dominated rule.

Bachelet will be taking over a country which is relatively economically and politically stable, and is not likely to deal with emergencies. Johnson-Sirleaf, on the other hand, faces a tougher time ahead rebuilding Liberia. Years of savage civil war has displaced most of the nation’s population and left even its capital, Monrovia, without electricity or running water. Infrastructure is virtually non-existent in the country, a generation of children grew up without education, and thousands have been abused and forced into being soldiers or sex slaves.

Words of caution

Both Bachelet and Johnson-Sirleaf seem to be off to a good start with good intentions. However, the women’s movement and other social movements should not be complacent but remain constructively critical of their governments.

The new presidents must be scrutinised on how they will run economic and foreign policies—especially as both seem to favour maintaining close ties with the United States, and are likely to pursue neo-liberal agendas. Commitments to gender equity must translate as well to concrete policies and programmes and actual allocation of resources for women’s concerns, and not just inclusion of women in governance. There is a need to ensure that they deliver on their promises of gender equity and equality, social justice, and protection of human rights.

In her editorial “Women leaders: Rights for all women or only ruling women?” regarding the recent unprecedented appointment of women to key cabinet posts in Tanzania, Salma Maoulidi captures the progressive movements’ responsibility brilliantly:

“Our biggest challenge is whether we will be courageous enough to demand the same level of performance and accountability from our sisters and colleagues as we do from those who seem opposed to our doctrines. We should be brave to criticise when needed and praise where warranted…We can no longer afford to be content thinking that since she is ‘one of us,’ our business is in good hands. We also cannot afford to be silenced by a sense of loyalty to a sister, a friend, a relative, or a comrade when bigger issues are at stake…we have an obligation to the citizens of our country.”

“Similarly…[we] must…ensure that women can indeed make a difference once in office, a difference that is seen and felt in action, in culture and in impact. Certainly, if we want more women to be considered for leadership positions in the future, we have to create a positive impression all round lest we fall victims to the ‘See, women can’t lead’ rejoinder.”

Sources:

BBC News. 16 January 2006. “The woman taking Chile's top job.” Downloaded 20 January 2006 from BBC News <http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/4087510.stm>.

_____. 17 January 2006. “Bachelet vow on gender equality” Downloaded 20 January 2006 from
BBC News <http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/4618954.stm>.

Blunt, Elizabeth. 20 January 2006. “Liberian leader breaks rape taboo.” Downloaded 27 January 2006 from BBC News <http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/4632874.stm>.

Fleming, Lucy. 23 November 2005. “Blazing a trail for Africa's women.” Downloaded 20 January 2006 from BBC News <http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/africa/4428434.stm>.

González, Gustavo. 16 January 2006. “Bachelet Makes History, Marks Cultural Shift.” Downloaded 24 January 2006 from the International Press Service News Agency website <http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=31789>.

Horace, Jamesetta B. 19 January 2006. “Kofi Annan blesses new government, calls for international assistance.” The Analyst. Downloaded 20 January 2006 from allAfrica.com <http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/2006011190233.html>.

Kramer, Reed. 11 December 2005. “Showered with enthusiasm, Liberia’s president-elect receives high-level reception in Washington.” The Analyst. Downloaded 20 January 2006 from allAfrica.com <http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200512110034.html>.

Maoulidi, Salma. 19 January 2006. “Women leaders: Rights for all women or only ruling women?”
Pambazuka News 238. Downloaded 24 January 2006 from the All Africa website <http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200601190611>.

Ross, Jen. 19 January 2006. “Chilean women celebrate signs of rapid change.” Downloaded 27 January 2006 from Women’s E-News <http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2606>.

Schweimler, Daniel. 16 January 2006. “Celebrating Bachelet looks ahead.” Downloaded 20 January 2006 from BBC News <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4615802.stm>.