By Tim Lambert
In the 21st century, several countries had female presidents or prime ministers for the first time. In 2000 Tarja Halonen became the first female president of Finland. In 2005 Angela Merkel became the first female chancellor of Germany.
In 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was sworn in as president of Liberia. She was the first woman to be elected head of state of an African country.
In 2012, Park Geun-hye was elected the first female president of South Korea. In 2019, Zuzana Caputova became the first female president of Slovakia. In 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum became the first woman president of Mexico. In 2025, Sanae Takaichi became the first female prime minister of Japan.
In 2007, Nancy Pelosi became the first woman speaker of the House of Representatives
In 2000, Jennifer Murray became the first woman to fly a helicopter solo around the world. In 2005, Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi became the first Saudi commercial airline pilot. In 2006, Anousheh Ansari became the first female space tourist.
In sport, women’s water polo was included in the Olympic Games in 2000. Also in 2000, women’s weightlifting became an Olympic sport. The first AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship was held in 2001. Women’s boxing was included as an Olympic Sport in 2012. So was women’s ski jumping.
In 2008, Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300. She became the first woman to win an IndyCar Series Race. In 2021, Sarah Thomas became the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl.
In 2008, Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300. She became the first woman to win an IndyCar Series Race. In 2021, Sarah Thomas became the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl. In 2025, the NCAA (National Wrestling Coaches Association) added women’s wrestling as an official sport.
In 2014, Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani became the first woman to be awarded the Fields Medal (given once every four years for outstanding contributions to mathematics).
In 2004, Wangari Maathai became the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 2005, Tunisia gave women the right to vote. Also in 2005, the parliament in Kuwait voted to allow women to vote. In 2015, women in Saudi Arabia voted in local council elections for the first time.
However, in certain countries, women faced terrible oppression in the early 21st century. In 2022, an Iranian woman, Jina Mahsa Amini, died in custody after being arrested by the Morality Police for ‘improper clothing’. Her death started a series of protests with the slogan Woman, Life, Freedom’. In Afghanistan, the Taliban deprived women of their rights.
