Africa's 1st Female Head of State on Female Leadership
Ellen Smith — July 23, 2020 — Keynote Trends
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served as the President of Liberia from 2016 - 2018, making her the first female President of an African nation. In a Ted Talk titled 'How women will lead us to freedom, justice and peace,' Sirleaf details her experience as a political leader in a time of unrest, and leverages her expertise as an accomplished economist and Noble Peace Prize winner to engage and inform the audience.
Sirleaf begins by outlining the circumstances she was faced with when she came to power, including a collapsed economy and destroyed infrastructure, but above all, Sirleaf grappled with the most vulnerable victims of civil conflict, women and children. Sirleaf explains wanting to put only women in top positions, but knowing it wouldn't be possible, she recruited powerful women to be placed in strategic positions of power. This included the first women Chief of Police, who could address the fears women faced following the civil war, a female economist to lead the debt relief effort, a female Head of Foreign Affairs to repair and rebuild relationships, and to ensure the protection of women moving forward, Sirleaf appointed a female Minister of Gender. Overtime, more women took on leadership roles, and upon realizing there were not enough women with experience to fill a female-only political cabinet, Sirleaf appointed women in junior positions, to set up the next generation of women for success.
Image Credit: TedTalk
Sirleaf begins by outlining the circumstances she was faced with when she came to power, including a collapsed economy and destroyed infrastructure, but above all, Sirleaf grappled with the most vulnerable victims of civil conflict, women and children. Sirleaf explains wanting to put only women in top positions, but knowing it wouldn't be possible, she recruited powerful women to be placed in strategic positions of power. This included the first women Chief of Police, who could address the fears women faced following the civil war, a female economist to lead the debt relief effort, a female Head of Foreign Affairs to repair and rebuild relationships, and to ensure the protection of women moving forward, Sirleaf appointed a female Minister of Gender. Overtime, more women took on leadership roles, and upon realizing there were not enough women with experience to fill a female-only political cabinet, Sirleaf appointed women in junior positions, to set up the next generation of women for success.
Image Credit: TedTalk
Trend Themes
1. Increasing Female Leadership - There is a growing trend towards increasing the presence of women in positions of power.
2. Gender Diversity in Politics - A trend towards achieving gender diversity in politics is driving the need for more women in high-level political positions.
3. Empowering Women's Leadership - There is a push to empower women to take on leadership roles and make a difference in society.
Industry Implications
1. Political Leadership - The political industry can benefit by integrating more women into positions of power, bringing diverse perspectives and solutions.
2. Social Justice - The social justice industry can drive change by advocating for more women in leadership positions, leading to more inclusive and equitable policies.
3. Gender Equality - The gender equality industry can work towards achieving equal representation of women in positions of power, promoting equal opportunities in various sectors.
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