Volume 5, No. 1 (Winter 2002) -- Women's History Month Issue

Click an image to read its caption.

More than a decade as leader of India:
Indira Ghandi

"I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people."

Indira Gandhi (1917-1984) was the only child of Kamla and Jawaharlal Nehru. A childhood photograph shows her sitting by the bedside of Mahatma Gandhi. Though she was not active in his struggle, she had the opportunity to know many political leaders.

She joined the Congress Party in 1938 and was jailed by the British for her support of India’s independence from Great Britain. After India's independence, her father, a widower, became Prime Minister. Indira Gandhi managed his official residence and went with him on foreign trips.

After her father’s death, she was elected to Parliament in 1966. When the Prime Minister died unexpectedly, Indira Gandhi was picked as a compromise candidate. Some thought she could be easily manipulated, but she showed her political skills, pushing others out of power.

As Prime Minister from 1966-77, she was popular after India’s victory in the war against Pakistan. She was seen as a tough political leader when India exploded a nuclear device in 1974. However, there were angry demonstrations against inflation, the poor economy and corruption. She was found guilty of illegal campaign practices in 1975, and some demanded her resignation.

Gandhi responded by declaring a state of emergency, imprisoning foes and censoring the press. In 1977, she called for new elections, but was defeated by a coalition of several political parties. Expelled from Parliament, she reorganized her party and was re-elected as Prime Minister three years later.

In her second term from 1980-84, Indira Gandhi ordered an assault which damaged a sacred Sikh temple where armed terrorists were waging a campaign against the government. In 1984, she was assassinated by two of her own Sikh bodyguards. At her death, her son Rajiv was sworn in as Prime Minister.

3 term "Iron Lady" of England:
Margaret Thatcher

"If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing."

A strong-willed child, Margaret Thatcher was born in 1925 in Lincolnshire, England. She was the daughter of grocer and a dressmaker. Her father was active in politics as an alderman and mayor.

After earning a degree in natural science and a master of arts from Oxford in 1950, she worked as a research chemist, reading for the Bar in her spare time. In 1954, she started practice as a barrister, specializing in taxation. She lost two parliamentary elections before marrying Denis Thatcher in 1951.

In 1959 she won a seat in the House of Commons. Thatcher was secretary for pensions and insurance from 1961-64. While her party was in opposition, she was a spokesperson and a member of the Shadow Cabinet. In the 70s, she was minister of Education and Science. One newspaper named her the most unpopular woman in Britain, but she continued to rise in politics, becoming leader of the Conservative party in 1975.

When the Conservatives returned to power, she became a privy counsellor and a spokesperson, first on the environment and later on treasury matters. Following the success of the Conservatives in 1979, Thatcher became the first woman to be elected Prime Minister of Great Britain. She is the first Prime Minister of the 20th century to serve three consecutive terms. She earned the nickname "The Iron Lady" because of her hard line against the USSR over their invasion of Afghanistan, and against Argentina when they challenged Britain’s right to the Falkland Islands. In 1990 she resigned as prime minister, although she stayed in Parliament until 1992.

Mrs. Thatcher has written The Downing Street Years and The Path to Power. She has a twin son and daughter. Libby Hughes has written a book about her for young adults entitled Madam Prime Minister: A Biography of Margaret Thatcher.

2nd Philippine woman president:
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

Philippine President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was elected Senator during her first try in politics in 1992. She was re-elected in 1995, authored 55 economic and social reform laws and was named outstanding Senator several times.

Elected vice president in 1998, she was sworn in as the 14th president of the Philippines in 2001, the second woman to be swept into power by a peaceful movement (see Corazon Aquino). Born in 1947, Arroyo was valedictorian of her convent high school class and attended college in the United States. Back home, she graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Commerce. After earning her Ph.D., she was a professor and lecturer in Economics.

Arroyo entered government service in the Department of Trade and Industry during the Aquino Administration and rose to Undersecretary of Trade and Industry. While vice president, she was concurrent Secretary of Social Welfare and Development. She is married to lawyer-businessman Jose Miguel Arroyo and has three children.

Pakistan leader ousted in 1997:
Benazir Bhutto

Born in 1953, Benazir Bhutto graduated from Radcliffe and studied politics and economics in England. When she returned home in 1977, her father's election as Prime Minister was challenged. Citing demonstrations and civil disorder, the military took power. Her father was executed by Gen. Zia's military government. She was detained, then allowed to leave Pakistan.

When a brother died mysteriously, Bhutto took part in anti-government rallies, was arrested and released. Upon receiving a tumultuous public welcome, she demanded that Zia step down. Elected co-chair of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), she was re-arrested but later released.

Bhutto was elected prime minister in 1988, the first woman leader of an Islamic (Muslim) country. She wanted to return Pakistan to civilian rule and oust her father's enemies. In 1996 she had several rival leaders arrested during demonstrations. When her husband, a cabinet member, was accused of taking government bribes, her government was charged with corruption and dismissed. She was defeated in national elections in 1997.

Elected leader under house arrest:
Aung San Suu Kyi
(Pronounced: Awng-Sahn-Soo-Chee.)

"Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it..."

In 1991 the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma (Myanmar) to recognize her struggle for democracy, human rights and ethnic conciliation by peaceful means. Held under house arrest by Myanmar's military dictatorship, Suu Kyi was unable to accept the award and was represented at the ceremony by her husband and two sons.

Suu Kyi's father, assassinated when she was only two, wanted to liberate Burma. Suu Kyi became interested in Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence when her mother was ambassador to India.

Suu Kyi worked at the United Nations in New York, married a British scholar, spent time in Bhutan, and then in England. When she married, she told her husband that the day might come when her country might need her.

When her mother was dying, she returned to Burma and witnessed the government brutally repressing an opposition movement. She became the leader of a political party using non-violent means to resist the regime. With her Buddhist faith as the foundation for her beliefs, she knew she needed to be fearless. Once while campaigning, she kept walking down the street in spite of a line of soldiers prepared to fire on her. The order was withdrawn.

The 1990 election resulted in a clear victory for her party, but the regime ignored the election results and jailed its leaders. Put under house arrest, Suu Kyi was to be released if she left country permanently, but she stayed.

Suu Kyi has been under detention, separated from her two sons, despite efforts by the United Nations. Her book, Freedom from Fear, was published by her husband, Michael Aris, but she and Aris were not allowed one last visit when he was dying of cancer.

More than a year of closed-door meetings did not end the deadlock over the junta’s refusal to cede power to Suu Kyi’s political party, but many political prisoners were released. People believed she might be freed on Jan. 4, 2002,their independence day, but instead the NLD party again demanded her freedom and a speedy transition to democracy.

Myanmar has been isolated by much of the international community over its treatment of Suu Kyi and NLD and sanctions have hurt the country’s struggling economy.

Image 1: Indira Ghanda.

Image 2: Margaret Thatcher.

Image 3: Aung San Suu Kyi.