Stop the presses and write the headline: women are leaders. They are not weak, not less, and definitely not made only for the domesticated mighty kitchen. A woman does not belong behind a stove, wielding a rolling pin — she belongs in the parliament, in the boardroom, on the stage, at the front lines, and wherever decisions are made.
People who criticise women in leadership are not strong; they are often insecure and fearful. Yes, insecure and fearful both! Why? Because women carry qualities these critics lack: strength, patience, intelligence, balance and emotional power. Instead of admitting that truth, the insecure try to drag women down with cheap comments, hateful remarks and malicious slander.
When a man is goal-oriented, he is called a “natural leader”. When a woman is goal-oriented, she is called “bossy and aggressive”. When a man speaks loudly, he is “confident”. When a woman speaks with the same volume, she is “too noisy”. You call that logic? I call it terror. You call that wisdom? I call it cowardice.
Look at history: Cleopatra, Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, Joan of Arc, Fatima Jinnah, Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher, Benazir Bhutto, Angela Merkel — these women didn’t hide in kitchens. They led nations, built armies and carried countries on their backs. And in our modern era, a new generation has emerged. Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand guided her people with empathy through tragedy and terror, while Sanna Marin of Finland stood firm for democratic values on the world stage.
In Estonia, Kaja Kallas became a global icon of resolve, leading her nation with steely courage against regional aggression. Across the Atlantic, Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum made history as the first woman and scientist elected to lead the nation, and Ukraine’s Olena Zelenska transformed the role of First Lady into a global diplomatic mission for her country’s survival. They stood tall in moments of crisis, led their countries with strength and vision, and proved once again that women don’t just belong in leadership — they outclass all expectations.
Women build, women reign, women revolutionise, women champion. We are the justice for your historical debt. We are the cancellation of the outdated stereotype. We are the product of generations of women who had to be twice as good. Now, we are ten times more powerful.
Yumna Zahid Ali
Karachi
