Former U.S. President Barack Obama said that governments around the world would “be better” if women were given the chance to lead for two years. He made the comment during a conversation with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin at Salem State University in Massachusetts on Monday.
The remarks were part of the hour‑long Salem State Series event, which drew roughly 3,600 people to the university’s O’Keefe Sports Complex and attracted hundreds more who watched from a satellite venue on campus. Obama used the forum to discuss leadership and the importance of creating opportunities for younger generations, recalling a thought he entertained while serving in the White House.
“Even when I was president, I sometimes fantasised about if you put women in charge of every government for like two years and then just kind of saw, all right, how are things going?”
“I have a strong belief that things would — they wouldn’t be perfect. But they’d be better. I’m confident about that. I really do.”
A clip of the conversation was posted by C‑SPAN on Friday, prompting the remarks to circulate online and renew attention on Obama’s views about female leadership. He previously voiced a similar argument in 2019 at a leadership event in Singapore, where he said he believed countries would improve if women ran every country for two years.
Women remain under‑represented in political leadership worldwide, and advocates argue that greater gender balance can lead to more inclusive policymaking and better governance outcomes. Obama’s comments add to ongoing discussions about how to expand opportunities for women in government.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
