On this day in 2006, Michelle Bachelet became Chile’s first female president

Photo: Official portrait of Michelle Bachelet, 11 March 2014

On this day in 2006, Michelle Bachelet made history when she became Chile’s first female president. After her term concluded in 2010, she was appointed as the first executive director of the newly established United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women – also known as UN Women. In December 2013, Bachelet was re-elected with over 62% of the vote, surpassing the 54% she received in 2006, making her the first President of Chile to be re-elected since 1932.

Read more about women’s achievements throughout history here