Women are increasingly being elected or appointed to positions of leadership in the Uk and worldwide. Here are some of those who first held specific posts.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1979-1990) - Margaret Thatcher
Foreign Secretary (2006-2007) - Margaret Beckett
Home Secretary (2007-2009) - Jacqui Smith
Head of MI5 in the UK (1992-1996) - Stella Rimington
Chancellor of Germany (2005-) - Angela Merkel
Prime Minister of New Zealand (1999-2008) - Helen Clark
Prime Minister of Denmark (2011-) - Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Prime Minister of Israel (1969-1974) - Golda Meir
Prime Minister of the Ukraine (2005, 2007-2010) - Yulia Tymoshenko
Leader of the Opposition in Burma (2012-) - Aung San Suu Kyi
President (elected) of Argentina (2007-) - Christina Fernandez de Kirchner
President of Brazil (2010-) - Dilma Vana Rousseff
President of Chile (2006-2010) - Michelle Bachelet
President of Ireland (1990-1997) - Mary Robinson
President of Liberia (2006-) - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Church of England Bishop (2014-) - Libby Lane
Ordination of Women Bishops in the Anglican Communion - see Wikipedia entry
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