Written by Michel Perlong | Society has come a long way since the early days of the suffragette movement in the 20th century, when most women weren’t allowed to vote. Women now play an important part in politics, with figures like Hilary Clinton holding important positions of power and others like Aung San Suu Kyi being important political symbols in the struggle for human rights. Scandinavian countries lead the way in gender equality (and most other international rankings) having the closest to a 50/50 split in male and female representatives. Unfortunately, most of the world lags behind, but it is the women on this list who set an example to the world that women should have an equal position to men when it comes to making the decisions which affect us most. These four women make up one fifth of the G20 most important countries in the world, and even though this isn’t close to one half, the number 10 years ago would have been none. Their achievement as the most influential women in politics today is a testament to how far the women have advanced in politics.
Photo source: Accuracy in Media
Dilma Rousseff, Brazil
Taking over the reigns from what was arguably the most successful presidency in Brazil is no easy task, but Rousseff has taken on the role of Brazil’s first female president well, having reached a 79% approval rating in March of this year. Like her predecessor Lula, her ideology has evolved from Marxism to the left-wing social democracy favored in Latin America today. More recently, Rousseff had to deal with the largest protests in Brazil’s history, to which she responded by meeting most of the demands of the protesters — demonstrating that Brazil is truly a healthy democracy and the capacity of Rousseff as a leader. With the country hosting the World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016, Rousseff’s presidency is sure to have a lasting legacy.