20th-century women prime ministers

Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century and the first woman to hold the office. As prime minister, she implemented policies that came to be known as Thatcherism. A Soviet journalist dubbed her the "Iron Lady", a nickname that became associated with her uncompromising politics and leadership style.

Prime Minister of India (1966-1977; 1980-1984)

11th and 13th prime minister of Pakistan (1953–2007)

Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974

Sheikh Hasina Wazed is a Bangladeshi politician who served as Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2001 and again from 2009 to 2024. A daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh, she is Bangladesh's longest-serving prime minister and one of the longest-serving female heads of government globally. She has also served as president of the Awami League since 1981.

Prime Minister of Ceylon (later Sri Lanka) from 1960–65, 1970–77, 1994–2000

Turkish politician, who has been the first female and 22nd prime minister of the country

Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008

19th Prime Minister of Canada in 1993

President of Sri Lanka from 1994 to 2005

Begum Khaleda Zia was a Bangladeshi politician who served as the prime minister of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. She was the first female prime minister of Bangladesh and the second female prime minister in the Muslim world after Benazir Bhutto. She was the wife of the former president of Bangladesh and army chief, Ziaur Rahman. She was the longest serving chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) from 1984 until her death in 2025.

Prime Minister of France from 1991 to 1992

New Zealand politician

Portuguese politician (1930–2004)

Polish political figure, Prime Minister of Poland

Burundian politician

Yugoslav politician (1924–2010)

president of Guyana, prime minister of Guyana, nurse (1920-2009)

Prime Minister of Rwanda (1953-1994)

Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (1925-2005)

Lithuanian politician

Lithuanian politician (born 1949)

Curaçao politician

South African activist (1937–2006)

Bermudian politician (born 1955)