Author
Aisha Abdus-SaburSeries
Thesis (M.S.)--East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.Date Published
2015Publication Language
EnglishPublication Subjects
Thesis and dissertation.Call No.
320.082 Ab329wNotes
Female political leaders globally remain underrepresented and disproportionate to their male counterparts, yet some have been able to break what is known as "the final glass ceiling", and elect a female head of state. This study will investigate three countries in three significant regions of the world (Africa, South America, and Europe) that have all elected women leaders who have, or are currently carrying out their full terms. Using a comparative analysis this research explains the level of democracy, impact of non-governmental Organizations, the share of women in parliament, and the influence of education to determine how impacful these socio-political factors have been in aiding the election of a female head of state in these countries. The findings of this research show that higher level of democracy, a strong presence of NGO's advocating for women's right, higher levels of education, and the share of women in the parliament have all likely contributed to success rates in Chile, Liberia, and Finland in electing the first women to lead their countries.
