The world was shaken today by the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister of Pakistan and leader of the current opposition to Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf. As a female leader in a part of the world that is still often dominated by men, Bhutto’s career broke barriers and inspired many people around the world.
Eleanor Roosevelt knew that women could be effective, groundbreaking leaders, but she noted that, in many respects, women leaders fell into the same political groups as men do. However, according to Roosevelt, women seem to be more likely to push for positive changes regarding issues that involve peace and human rights. She wrote:
“There are liberals and conservatives among the women as well as among the men. As far as I can judge, only one thing stands out—namely, that on the whole . . . government has been taking increasing cognizance of humanitarian questions, things that deal with the happiness of human beings, such as health, education, security. There is nothing, of course, to prove that this is entirely because of the women’s interests, and yet I think that this change has come about during the period when women have been exercising their franchise. It makes me surmise that women who do take an interest in public questions have thrust these interests to the fore, and obliged their fellow citizens to consider them. Whereas in the past these human problems have remained more or less in the background, today they are discussed by every governing body.”
Eleanor Roosevelt would no doubt agree that Benazir Bhutto was one of these political women who helped bring important human issues to the forefront of the political process. As a political leader and as a strong woman who was not afraid to stand up for what she believed in, Bhutto will be sorely missed on the world stage.
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