Balanced teams make better decisions and that’s why at Women in Public Life we encourage women from all backgrounds and all nationalities to stand for public office. And in Guernsey we have more than 70 nationalities represented: one in three people was born outside the island.
For International Women’s Day on 8 March, help us fill in the Guernsey map by nominating an iconic woman from the country where you were born and telling us why she has inspired you.
Nominated by: Christine James
Zenzile Miriam Makeba (1932 to 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, United Nations goodwill ambassador, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including Afropop, jazz, and world music, she was an advocate against apartheid and white-minority government in South Africa. In 2020 she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 women of the century.
South Africa is ranked 12th in the world for percentage of women in national parliament: 45.8% (source: data.ipu.org)
Are you from South Africa? Please email hello@womeninpubliclife.gg if there is a social or cultural group for people from South Africa in Guernsey.
Want to learn more about public office vacancies in Guernsey?
The original image “The Hague Jazz 2008 – Miriam Makeba” by Haags Uitburo is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Nominated by: Anni Bisson
AWAITING COPY (born 26 July 1980) has served as prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. In 2019, she led the country through the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings, rapidly introducing strict gun laws in response, and throughout 2020 she directed the country’s widely praised response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ardern was the world’s second elected head of government to give birth while in office when her daughter was born in June 2018.
Germany is ranked 49th in the world for percentage of women in national parliament: 31.5% (source: data.ipu.org)
Are you from Germany? Please let us know at hello@womeninpubliclife.gg if there is a social or cultural group for people from Germany in Guernsey.
Want to learn more about public office vacancies in Guernsey?
The original image “File:Besuch Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel im Rathaus Köln-09916.jpg” by Raimond Spekking is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nominated by: Martin Lock
Jacinda Ardern (born 1980) has served as prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. In 2019, she led the country through the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings, rapidly introducing strict gun laws in response, and throughout 2020 she directed the country’s widely praised response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ardern was the world’s second elected head of government to give birth in office when her daughter was born in 2018. ‘An inspiring Prime Minister who brought a nation together with true leadership, empathy and compassion.’
New Zealand is ranked 4th in the world for percentage of women in national parliament: 48.3% (source: data.ipu.org)
Other iconic women: Dame Whina Cooper, nominated by Claire Fisher, and Kate Sheppard, nominated by Anna Cooper.
Are you from New Zealand? You may be interested in joining the ANZACs in Guernsey Facebook group.
Want to learn more about public office vacancies in Guernsey?
