HERstory Archives - She is Africa

Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri : First Female Prime Minister of Morocco

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:13:14 +0000

Morocco has made history. On 29 September 2026, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri stepped into office to lead Morocco as Prime Minister, becoming the first woman to lead Morocco’s government. However, for El Mansouri breaking political barriers is nothing new. More than a decade before reaching national office, she became the first woman to serve as […]

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Female Presidents Around the World in 2026: The Full List of Women Leading Nations Today

admin — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:36:02 +0000

Women aren’t just breaking glass ceilings anymore — they are running the whole building. Right now, in 2026, there are more female presidents around the world than at any point in history, with 17 women serving as head of state and 13 more leading as prime minister. This current list of female world leaders spans […]

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Keiko Fujimori : Peru’s First Woman President

admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 12:21:43 +0000

Peru has entered a new era with the inauguration of Keiko Fujimori as the country’s first woman to be elected president. After years in the political spotlight and several attempts to win the presidency, Fujimori has finally reached the nation’s highest office, securing her place in Peru’s history. Education: – Bachelor of Arts in Business […]

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Empress Taytu Betul

admin — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:49:57 +0000

Empress Taytu Betul (c. 1851–1918) was one of Africa’s most remarkable female leaders and a key figure in Ethiopia’s resistance against European colonial expansion. Born into an influential Ethiopian family, Taytu became the wife of Emperor Menelik II and served as Empress of Ethiopia from 1889 to 1913. Taytu was far more than a royal consort. […]

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Mmanthatisi – African Queen of the Batlokwa Tribe

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:04:00 +0000

Mmanthatisi was an African Queen of the Batlokwa Tribe from 1813 until 1824. She heroically led her tribe during a very turbulent time.

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Catherine Connolly: President of Ireland

admin — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 12:17:23 +0000

In November 2025, Catherine Connolly made history when she was inaugurated as the President of Ireland. While she is not Ireland’s first female president, she became only the third woman to hold the office (after Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese). and the first independent candidate in decades to achieve such a remarkable victory. Her election reflected a […]

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Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s First Female Prime Minister

admin — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 11:57:30 +0000

Sanae Takaichi is the first female Prime Minister of Japan (assumed office on 21 October 2025). She was elected prime minister by the Japanese parliament after her party, Liberal Democratic Party, formed a coalition with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party. Takaichi’s ascent shatters a symbolic barrier in one of the world’s most powerful economies. She […]

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Sarraounia Mangou

admin — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:26:08 +0000

Sarraounia means queen or female chief in the Hausa language. To the predominantly Azna people of Lougou and surrounding Hausa towns and villages, the term refers to a lineage of female rulers who exercised both political and religious power. Sarraounia Mangou was the most famous of the Sarraounias, due to her resistance against French colonial […]

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Sara Zaafarani Zenzari : Prime Minister of Tunisia

admin — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:38:00 +0000

In March 2025, Sara Zaafarani Zenzari (Arabic: سارة زعفراني زنزري, romanized: Sāra Zaʿfarānī Zanzarī; born 26 January 1963) made history when she became the Prime Minister of Tunisia, becoming only the second woman to hold the country’s highest government office. Najla Bouden was the female prime minister both in Tunisia and the Arab world (2021-2023). Her appointment marked another significant […]

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Kirsty Coventry: First woman IOC president

admin — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 14:22:28 +0000

Today we celebrate Kirsty Coventry Seward who is set to be the 10th president of the International Olympic Committee (from June 2025). She is the first woman and the first African to be elected to that position. Kirsty Leigh Coventry Seward (née Coventry; born 16 September 1983) is a Zimbabwean politician, sports administrator and retired competitive […]

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Judith Suminwa

admin — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 13:07:00 +0000

For decades, politics in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been dominated by men. That changed in 2024 when Judith Suminwa (born 1967) became the country’s first female prime minister, marking a historic moment not only for the DRC but for women across Africa. Education: She is a member of Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS). […]

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African Warriors

admin — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 11:38:15 +0000

The Dahomey kingdom was heavily guarded by an all female warrior brigade- the Dahomey Warriors or N’Nonmiton (meaning “our mothers” in Fon language) or ahosi (king’s wives). They were named Amazons by Western Europeans who encountered them, due to the story of the female warriors of Amazons in Greek mythology. They fiercely defended their kingdom against […]

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Women’s Day: Women Taking Up Space

admin — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Taking up space as a women often means being unnecessarily apologetic or playing your talents down. Today, as we celebrate Women’s Day, we honour women taking up space in history and current times. Women taking up space in decolonizing Africa We honour the ancient queens of Africa who ruled their kingdoms and squared off with […]

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International Day of Women & Girls in Science

admin — Sat, 11 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

11 February is International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The day celebrates women and girls who have devoted themselves to science and the advancement of human knowledge and understanding as students, researchers, and practitioners in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The day is celebrated for a good reason. Women make up only 28% of the workforce in STEM. Further, […]

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Frene Ginwala

admin — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Today, 13 January 2023, Frene Noshir Ginwala, an important figure in establishing democracy in South Africa, has died at the age of 90(born 12 April 1932). She played a tremendous role in establishing underground escape routes for ANC (African National Congress) members in the period following the Sharpeville massacre and the declaration of the State of Emergency (SOE) in 1960. These […]

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Dina Boluarte: Peru’s First Female President

admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 11:56:00 +0000

Peru has entered a new chapter in its history with the inauguration of Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra as the country’s first female president. More than 200 years after Peru gained independence, a woman has finally reached the nation’s highest office, marking a milestone for women in politics across Latin America. Boluarte assumed the presidency on […]

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Magdalena Andersson, Sweden’s first female Prime Minister

admin — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 10:01:12 +0000

Magdalena Andersson (54) had been elected as Sweden’s first female prime minister, again! She will be joining this list of female presidents around the world. On 24 November 2021, Andersson had been elected as prime minister but chose to resign after an announcement by her coalition partner, the Green Party, that they were leaving the […]

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African Queens

admin — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 14:00:40 +0000

These African Queens’ legacies of strength and wisdom continue to live on African soil. Ndaté Yalla Mbodj Ndaté Yalla Mbodj (Senegal-French, or Ndateh Yalla Mbooj, Gambia-English, (c. 1810 — 1860 or 1814—1856) was the last great Lingeer (Queen) of Waalo, one of the four Wolof kingdoms of Senegambia located in what is now North-West Senegal. Ndaté […]

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African women winners at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics

admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 07:30:18 +0000

The 2020 Paralympics were held from 24 August to 5 September 2021 in Tokyo, Japan showcasing exceptional sports ability. Here is a list of African women medal winners: Raoua Tlili, Tunisia, Gold, Athletics Women’s Discus Throw and Women’s Shot Put Nourhein Belhaj Salem, Tunisia, Silver, Athletics Women’s Shot Put Somaya Bousaid, Tunisia , Bronze , […]

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Africa’s women freedom fighters: Jane Lungile Ngwenya

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 12:00:16 +0000

Jane “NaBigboy” Lungile Ngwenya was born in Njanja, Buhera in Manicaland, Zimbabwe on June 15, 1935 and died in Bulawayo on August 5, 2021. She dedicated her life to fighting for Zimbabwe’s freedom. As a little girl, Ngwenya was interested in politics. She was expelled from school in Standard 6 when she asked whether heaven […]

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