Women in power

A great deal I think on the future of women at the top will depend on how I do... I do know I could do an awful lot for women at the top and for women trying to get to the top and for the acceptance of women, for their talents, and abilities."

Margaret Thatcher.
Former Prime Minister of Great Britain




The United Nations convened "The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace" on September 4-15, 1995 in Beijing, China. Governments from 189 countries and 2.100 non-governmental organizations participated of this event. The resulting documents of the Conference, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action set the agenda for women's empowerment.

Today much have been accomplished by women who not only have reached the Head of State chair, but also and more outstanding from my point of view, the Chief Executive Office of some Fortune 500 companies.

The latest appointment to the Chief Executive Office for a woman has been to Chua Sock Koong of Asian telecommunications' company SingTel whose announcement came into knowledge on 21 September 2006. However, this announcement was barely heard by the regular people since Pepsico's announcement of Indra Nooyi to occupying the Chief Executive Office on 14 August 2006 was still fresh. To the general public Pepsico sounds louder than SingTel although not to shareholders nor to investors.

One way or another, these women are a role model to many other. My first role model was Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard who served in that position from 1999 to 2005. I now feel identified with Indra Nooyi. I joke saying I will not stop until conquering what she has conquered. It is a model for being where she is today, coming from such a country like India. India plays an important role in world's today economy, but more than thirty years ago there was a lot of poverty and not very promising prospects, as there are today. I come from a place that today is better off than India thirty years ago but unfortunately will not achieve India's performance in thirty years time... Indra Nooyi es taking office today.

These women whose example I am illustrating herein, have been or still are listed on Forbes magazine annual list of the World's most powerful women. These women are wifes and mothers. Not that I had became a feminist; not yet.

Anyhow, my best model will always be my mother who has grown from a simple housewife to a business woman.

Gracias ma!





I don't know that it is my destiny to lead but it's my destiny to serve the people my father had no chance of serving to the end."

Aung San Suu Kyi.
General Secretary & founder of the National League for Democracy in Myanmar.
1991 Nobel Prize winner "for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights"



Being seventy is not a sin."

Golda Meir.
4th Prime Minister of Israel.



I am a daughter, a wife, a mother, a woman, an actress, an Indian, and a Muslim. Each of those identities is important to me."

Shabana Azmi.
Indian Actress. Activist.



Who would have said, 10, 15 years ago that a woman would be elected president!" "I am a woman, a socialist, separated and agnostic, all the sins together."

Michelle Bachelet.
President of Chile