By Kim Tae-gyu
BERLIN — Women have put forth great efforts to play a trailblazing role in areas such as business, finance, academia and sports. But in politics, a glass ceiling is still firmly in place in many countries.
In Berlin, two of the world’s most prominent female politicians met when President Park Geun-hye had a summit with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Both became their countries’ first women chief executives.
In time with the high-profile meeting, this reporter suggests that Korea host a global conference to bring together all female politicians at the helm of nations and those in-the-making.
The list of the participants would be magnificent.
On top of Park and Merkel, there are many other women who are in charge of their countries including Brazil President Dilma Rousseff and Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
Also included in qualified participants are such big names as Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Jamaica Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Former leaders would also be welcome such as former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines, former French Prime Minister Edith Cresson and Australia’s former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
There is no reason not to invite Myanmar’s democratic fighter Aung San Suu Kyi and International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde along with possible leaders of the future such as former U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.
Young women politicians from male-dominated societies in East Asia and the Middle East cannot be no-shows at the international event, which will play a pivotal role in shattering glass ceilings.
Park would have an interest in the agenda as demonstrated by her recent joining of the Council of Women World Leaders (CWWL), a network of current and former female presidents and prime ministers established in 1996, last month.
She could propose the Seoul conference co-hosted by Korea and the CWWL. Or Korea might independently organize the event to bring not merely members of the council, whose activities have been impressive, but also other prominent politicians.
Park’s senior press secretary Lee Jung-hyun said that this was a good idea and he would check the viability of such a conference.
“In the beginning, the Davos Forum was not that big but it has become a really significant gathering. We might do the same with the meeting of world women political leaders, who would be able to have great networking opportunities,” Lee said. “Plus, the would-be leaders in less-developed countries would be encouraged.”