In this article, Aliya Khan shines light on this monumental moment.
Photo Credit: Estonian World
In a world where the USA, the most developed nation, got its first Female Vice President in the year 2020, it begs us to ask the question, when will women acquire absolute equality in the field of politics and governance? As of October 2019, the global participation rate of women at national level parliament is 24.5%. Despite the glumness of this patriarchal society, a bonanza news emerged from Estonia on January 26th, 2021. Currently, Estonia is the only country in the world to be led and governed by women, that is, the only country with a woman President and a woman Prime Minister at the same time. The newly elected Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, a 43-year-old lawyer, took office on 26th January, making history. Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid, also the country’s first woman president, appointed the 15-member Cabinet of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas which got approved by the lawmakers in the country's parliament. This historic feat is certainly a big celebration for the women around the world.
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’ cabinet is brimmed with gender equality, which includes 6 women cabinet ministers. These women ministers are placed in key positions like Keit Pentus-Rosimannus as finance minister and Eva-Maria Liimets, Estonia's ambassador to the Czech Republic, as the foreign minister. Combatting the Covid-19 crisis, marriage equality, restricting investment in the fossil fuel industry, and lifting the country from its economic turmoil are the dominating agendas of Kallas’ policies.
Since the previous cabinet which was led by Leader Juri Ratas as Prime Minister collapsed on 13th January 2021 owing to a corruption scandal, Kallas has only 2 years to serve before the next general elections in March 2023.
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