Compiled by Staff
Northwest Asian Weekly
International Women’s Day was on March 8—celebrated every year around the world. This year, we wanted to highlight the women leading our city, and the world.
Seattle
Mayor Jenny Durkan
56th Mayor of Seattle and the first woman to lead the City in nearly a century. Prior to becoming mayor, Durkan was a civic leader and nationally-recognized attorney.
District 1 councilmember: Lisa Herbold
Resident of Highland Park for more than 15 years. Over the course of her professional life, Herbold worked on issues of access, fairness, and a commitment to a shared quality of life.
District 2 councilmember: Tammy Morales
Elected in 2019, Morales was a community organizer and advocate. She has worked for the Rainier Beach Action Coalition and served as a Seattle Human Rights Commissioner.
District 3 councilmember: Kshama Sawant
Sawant is an activist, organizer, and socialist, teacher, and is a member of Socialist Alternative.
District 5 councilmember: Debora Juarez
Juarez built a career focused on legal advocacy and economic development for the most marginalized communities in Washington.
District 8 councilmember: Teresa Mosqueda
Mosqueda’s top priority is promoting healthy communities, lifting-up working families, and creating more affordable housing for all residents through the city.
District 9 councilmember: Lorena González
The first Latinx elected to serve the Seattle City Council, González has over a decade of experience as a civil rights attorney and community advocate.
World leaders
Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand
A self-described social democrat and a progressive, Ardern was the world’s youngest female head of government when she took office at age 37.
Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia
Brnabić is the first woman and first openly gay person to hold the office. In 2019, she was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 19th most powerful female political and policy leader.
Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Praised for economic growth under her tenure, Hasina is the longest-serving prime minister in the history of Bangladesh. Her political career has spanned more than four decades.
Hilda Heinez, President of the Marshall Islands
The first woman to hold the presidency of the Marshall Islands, Heine is also the first female president of any Micronesian country.
Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland
Katrín is Iceland’s second female prime minister after Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir. Last month, she was named Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders.
Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia
Kaljulaid is the first female head of state of Estonia since the country declared independence in 1918, as well as the youngest ever president. She was 46 at the time of her election.
Saara Kuugongelwa, Prime Minister of Namibia
Kuugongelwa is the first woman to hold the position. She is also a member of the South West Africa People’s Organization.
Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
Merkel has been widely described as the de facto leader of the European Union. She was appointed Germany’s first female chancellor in 2005.
Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway
Solberg is the second female to hold the position, and inspired by Margaret Thatcher’s “Iron Lady” nickname, Solberg has been given the nickname “Iron Erna.”
Simonetta Sommaruga, President of Switzerland
Sommaruga assumed the office of the presidency on Jan. 1, 2020. She had previously served as vice president and head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police.
Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan
Tsai is the first woman to be elected to the office and the first president to be of both Hakka and aboriginal descent. Tsai studied law and international trade and has a Ph.D.
Paula-Mae Weekes, President of Trinidad and Tobago
Weekes took office in March 2018, becoming the first woman to do so. She served briefly as acting Chief Justice in 2012, and also worked in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Sahle-Work Zewde, President of Ethiopia
Sahle-Work Zewde is the first woman to hold the office. In December 2019, she was named Africa’s most powerful woman.
Salome Zourabichvili, President of Georgia
Zourabichvili is the first woman to be elected as Georgia’s president. She has also served on the UN Security Council’s Iran Sanctions Committee as the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts.