Women and Family (continued)

Part VI: Famous Muslim Women Leaders of Today

Muslim women are gaining more power in the world of politics today. Here are three Muslim women who were the Prime Ministers and are still leaders of their countries.

A. Benazir Bhutto was the recent prime minister of Pakistan for two terms in office. Now she is chairperson of Pakistan's opposition People's Party. Also see a short biography of her (from CNN).

Photo from Women's International Center

She is the daughter of a former prime minister of Pakistan. Her father was killed by a military leader who overthrew the democratic form of government and took power. She was Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996. She ran of office again, but was defeated. She became an opposition leader. She was accused of corruption and now lives in exile with her three children in the United Arab Emirates.

 

 

B. Tansu Ciller was prime minister of Turkey from 1993 until 1996. There is no photograph of her at this site, only a short biography. Her photograph can be see above . She is the one on the right (meeting with U.S. Secretary of State, Ms. Madeline Albright).

 

 

C. Sheikh Hasina Wajed, prime minister of Bangladesh, is also the daughter of an assassinated statesman. Her father was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who led Bangladesh to independence in 1971 and is called the "Founding Father of the Country." She was elected in 1996. Her party (Awami League) is credited with restoring democracy after a military coup (when the army took over the control of the government by force), and with improving relationships with India. Read a brief biography and a photograph of Sheikh Hasina Wajed. She replaced another woman as Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia (see D below).

• Photo from Bangladesh Mission to the United Nations

 

 

D. Khaleda Zia - Primer Minister of Bangladesh (1991-1996)

 

 

 

 

Image from e-mela

 

Khaleda Zia is the widow of former president of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981. Ten years later, she came to power in the first fair elections in Bangladesh. In 1994, the opposition demanded that Zia's government resign and new general elections were scheduled.

Khaleda Zia was re-elected on February 1996. In March, following increasing political agitation, the sitting parliament enacted a constitutional amendment to allow an impartial caretaker government to take power and administer new parliamentary elections. Today, she remains the chairperson of the Bangladesh National Party.

 

 

E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarek, wife of President Hosni Mubarek of Egypt, is very active in education and children's issues. She has spoken about strengthening and expanding expanding public libraries systems, epecially into rural areas to improving reading habits, and distributing reading materials at low prices. She is involved in getting more Internet access to the rural poor. She is also involved in health care issues, especially for children.

  Photo from "The First Lady" biography, government of Egypt.

Go to Page One: Women

Go to Page Two: Growing Up Muslim

Go to Page Three: Marriage and Wedding Ceremonies

Go to Page Four: Famous Muslim Women of the Past

You are here at Page Five: Famous Muslim Women Today