By NAN Staff Writer
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Dec. 16, 2015: The World Economic Forum has released its annual Global Gender Gap index which includes the top Caribbean and Latin American countries where women have most power. Here are the top 5 globally and in the Americas:
1: Nicaragua: In this Central American nation, known for its dramatic terrain of lakes, volcanoes and beaches, 47 percent of senior government officials are female. Additionally, 41 percent of all parliamentary members are women, which make the country one of the world’s best for female political power especially in Latin America.
2: Bolivia: This central South America, with a varied terrain spanning Andes mountains, the Atacama Desert and Amazon Basin rainforest, is one of only two countries globally surveyed to have more women in parliament than men. Fifty-three percent of MPs in the country’s Plurinational Legislative Assembly are women.
3: Cuba: The Communist nation of Cuba’s National Assembly of People’s Power, has the third highest proportion of women in all the countries surveyed by the WEF. Forty-nine percent of Communist party members sitting in the house are women.
4: Costa Rica: Costa Rica which was sparsely inhabited by indigenous people before coming under Spanish rule in the 16th century had the first female president in 50 years. Laura Chinchilla left office in 2014. Her four years in office, along with 41 percent of ministers in the country being female, helped make Costa Rica the 20th most politically powerful country globally and in the Americas when it comes to women.
5: Argentina: Argentina ranks 25th for the number of women in parliament, and 14th for the number of years with a female head of state. It has a long history of powerful female leaders, including the notorious Eva Peron.
