The World Has Seen Women Leaders Dominating the Coronavirus

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Monday, June 15 was a day of triumph for the people's favorite prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. As she beamed proudly at her global audience and COVID-free countrymen, people around the world couldn't help but notice a strong woman announcing possibly the biggest flex of this year: Her country, New Zealand, was finally free from the deadly novel coronavirus.

She happily thanked the entire nation and people's efforts in complying with her directions to eradicate the COVID-19 outbreak. If people had not followed the precautions she put in place as of March 25, including countrywide lockdown, the goal wouldn't have seen the light of the day.

However, it is important to note that although her efforts were significant in making her country coronavirus free, she could only achieve it for the time being.

As this news of success became popular all over the globe, the worldwide audience couldn't help but notice a pattern: Women leaders have dominated the coronavirus. The countries led particularly by women have seemed to figure it out and are successfully fighting the coronavirus.

- Germany, led by Angela Merkel, has a far lower death rate than Britain and many other European countries.

- Finland, led by Prime Minister Sanna Marin, has had fewer than 10% as many deaths as their neighboring country, Sweden.

- Taiwan, led by President Tsai Ing-wen, has carried out one of the most successful efforts all over the world for containing the virus, using tests, contact tracing, and measures to isolate the infected without a need for complete national lockdown.

Additionally, the immeasurable actions of the female leaders in other countries such as Denmark, Iceland, and Norway have been cited as supporting evidence that the recurring pattern is no coincidence. Women truly are managing the pandemic better than their male counterparts in neighboring countries and across the oceans.

How Countries Driven by Women Leaders Are Excelling During This Pandemic


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Broadening the Perspective on Society as a Whole

Benevolence, pragmatism and resilience against the virus are some of the main qualities mentioned as the common attributes of these successful women leaders. They showed a sincere belief in the collective common sense of their people, instilled mutual aid, and worked with humility.

Even if you don't want to specifically focus on the fact that the leaders were women, there is a broader perspective that you must know. Expanding the outlook on these countries' societies as a whole tells you that the people who elect women leaders reflect a greater appreciation for women in other important aspects of the country's governance.

An Equitable Country Can Manage an Emergency Better

The greater involvement of women in positions of power in all sectors makes it easier for countries to control and manage the pandemic and other crises. Denmark and other European countries have certainly shown how it is done.

It paves the way for deploying more comprehensive solutions that are richer compared to a rather homogenous group. According to the World Economic Forum's annual study conducted on gender parity, many countries that have fought the pandemic effectively are led by women and rank higher on the list.

Therefore, it is quite evident that more equitable countries can manage crises and emergencies better.

Rising Above Traditional Norms

After New Zealand announced a nationwide lockdown beginning on March 25, Ms. Ardern was seen addressing her nation from the comfort of her home via a casual Facebook Live session. She spoke confidently through her phone after she had put her baby to sleep, while wearing a casually styled and cozy sweatshirt.


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As she conveyed apologies to her people for causing any alarm or panic, giving way to their anxieties, she was kind and empathetic about the emergency announcement she had made earlier. It is safe to say she rose above the societal norms of wearing a suit while addressing one's country in front of a huge press conference, and yet she was able to convey her message and make the desired impact.

Importance of Fulfilling the Requirement of Female Leadership

We can conclude that a more equitable, gender-balanced environment can produce more robust outcomes. Societies that represent female leadership are where feminine values are dominating.

We are part of the advancing 21st century, and it calls for a new type of leadership, one that isn't based on the command and manipulative control we have already experienced. Challenges such as climate change, scarcity of resources, wildlife extinction and the overall depletion that our planet seems to be going through need a more collaborative response, and we cannot achieve this without such powerful women.

Especially now, when we are way too deep into this pandemic, it requires a management that has all the traditionally feminine qualities to work toward an obstacle-free future.

Dominating the Patriarchy

Women leaders have definitely paved the way for young girls and other women who would like to see themselves in a national office sometime in their life, while managing their career and mental health. They have become a beacon of light for the women who are vocal about crushing the patriarchy and rising above it.

Standing up in times of crisis, women leaders have set examples that have changed the views of many people around the world and, especially, in their own countries. In these countries, power is enhanced by the complementing nature of dual genders and their mutual contributing efforts.

No Violation of Perceived Gender Norms

Many male leaders can, and even have, overcome gender expectations. However, there is no denying that it is less politically questionable for women to do so because they don't have perceived restricted gender norms to risk violating in the first place. Adopting cautious and defensive policies is not as politically costly for women leaders as it could be for their male counterparts. Subsequently, this leadership style has become increasingly valuable.

Bottom Line

To all those who think it is merely a fluke that the few exceptional individuals who acted in extraordinary situations happened to be women, the experts say otherwise. Our academic education and common sense should be enough to see it as more than that and as a chance to learn from their expertise.

It would be an overly simplistic verdict to say that women are better leaders than men. It is much more complicated and factually provable than just a coincidence. Hopefully, the points we have highlighted carry it forward. Who runs the world? Girls!

Author Bio
Stella Lincoln is currently working as a Lifestyle Blogger at Dissertation Assistance, an excellent platform to get dissertation editing services. She is a vocal woman about women's rights and likes to create progressive awareness through her work. She typically shares her opinions and interests on her blog.

Opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of WITI.