List of elected and appointed female deputy heads of state facts for kids

This article is about women who have served as deputy heads of state in their countries. A deputy head of state is a very important leader, often like a vice president, who helps the main leader of a country. Sometimes, if the main leader cannot do their job, the deputy head of state steps in. This list focuses only on women who have held these high-ranking positions.

Women Leaders: Deputy Heads of State Around the World

This section lists women who have been elected or appointed to serve as deputy heads of state. These roles are crucial because they involve helping to lead a country and sometimes even stepping in as the main leader.

     Denotes incumbent deputy head of state

• Italics means the person was acting in the role, or the country was not fully recognized by other nations, or the country no longer exists.

Name	Image	Country	Continent	Office	Mandate start	Mandate end	Term length
Soong Ching-ling	Soong Ching-ling	People's Republic of China	Asia	Deputy Chairperson	1 October 1949	27 September 1954	4 years, 361 days
					27 April 1959	24 February 1972	12 years, 303 days
Maria Paretti	Maria Paretti	Romania	Europe	Vice President	1961	1966	5 years, 0 days
Constanța Crăciun	Constanța Crăciun	Romania	Europe	Vice President	1965	1969	4 years, 0 days
Isabel Perón	Isabel Perón	Argentina	South America	Vice President	12 October 1973	1 July 1974	262 days
Maria Ciocan	Maria Ciocan	Romania	Europe	Vice President	1980	1985	5 years, 0 days
Anahita Ratebzad	Anahita Ratebzad	Afghanistan	Asia	Deputy Chairwoman of the Revolutionary Council	27 December 1980	24 November 1985	4 years, 332 days
Mine Guri	Mine Guri	Albania	Europe	Vice President	22 November 1982	1 September 1991	8 years, 283 days
Viola Burnham	Viola Burnham	Guyana	South America	Co-Vice President	6 August 1985	9 October 1991	6 years, 64 days
Maria Ghițulică	Maria Ghițulică	Romania	Europe	Vice President	1985	1989	4 years, 0 days
Victoria Garrón Orozco	Victoria Garrón Orozco	Costa Rica	North America	Second Vice President	8 May 1986	8 May 1990	4 years, 0 days
Nguyễn Thị Định	Nguyễn Thị Định	Vietnam	Asia	Vice President	19 April 1987	19 July 1992	5 years, 91 days
Blaga Dimitrova	Blaga Dimitrova	Bulgaria	Europe	Vice President	22 January 1992	6 July 1993	1 year, 165 days
Nguyễn Thị Bình	Nguyễn Thị Bình	Vietnam	Asia	Vice President	8 October 1992	12 August 2002	9 years, 308 days
Specioza Kazibwe	Specioza Kazibwe	Uganda	Africa	Vice President	18 November 1994	21 May 2003	8 years, 184 days
Guadalupe Jerezano Mejía	Guadalupe Jerezano Mejía	Honduras	North America	Third Vice President	27 January 1994	27 January 1998	4 years, 0 days
Rebeca Grynspan	Rebeca Grynspan	Costa Rica	North America	Second Vice President	8 May 1994	8 May 1998	4 years, 0 days
Julia Mena	Julia Mena	Nicaragua	North America	Vice President	2 January 1995	2 January 1997	2 years, 0 days
Rosalía Arteaga	Rosalía Arteaga	Ecuador	South America	Vice President	10 August 1996	9 February 1997	183 days
					11 February 1997	30 March 1998	1 year, 47 days
Janet Jagan	Janet Jagan	Guyana	South America	Prime Minister and First Vice President	6 March 1997	19 December 1997	288 days
Isatou Njie-Saidy	Isatou Njie-Saidy	The Gambia	Africa	Vice President	20 March 1997	18 January 2017	19 years, 304 days
Masoumeh Ebtekar	Masoumeh Ebtekar	Iran	Asia	Vice President	2 August 1997	3 August 2005	8 years, 1 day
					10 September 2013	1 September 2021	11 years, 322 days
Gladys Caballero de Arevalo	Gladys Caballero de Arevalo	Honduras	North America	Second Vice President	27 January 1998	27 January 2002	4 years, 0 days
Astrid Fischel Volio	Astrid Fischel Volio	Costa Rica	North America	First Vice President	8 May 1998	8 May 2002	4 years, 0 days
Elizabeth Odio Benito	Elizabeth Odio Benito	Costa Rica	North America	Second Vice President	8 May 1998	8 May 2002	4 years, 0 days
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	Philippines	Asia	Vice President	30 June 1998	20 January 2001	2 years, 204 days
Megawati Sukarnoputri	Megawati Sukarnoputri	Indonesia	Asia	Vice President	26 October 1999	23 July 2001	1 year, 289 days
Annette Lu	Annette Lu	Taiwan (Republic of China)	Asia	Vice President	20 May 2000	20 May 2008	8 years, 0 days
Milagros Ortiz Bosch	Milagros Ortiz Bosch	Dominican Republic	North America	Vice President	16 August 2000	16 August 2004	4 years, 0 days
Adina Bastidas	Adina Bastidas	Venezuela	South America	Vice President	24 December 2000	13 January 2002	1 year, 20 days
Sandra Pierantozzi	Sandra Pierantozzi	Palau	Oceania	Vice President	19 January 2001	1 January 2005	3 years, 348 days
Sima Samar	Sima Samar	Afghanistan	Asia	Vice Chairwoman of Interim Administration	22 December 2001	19 June 2002	179 days
Armida Villela de López Contreras	Armida Villela de López Contreras	Honduras	North America	Second Vice President	27 January 2002	27 January 2006	4 years, 0 days
Lineth Saborío Chaverri	Lineth Saborío Chaverri	Costa Rica	North America	First Vice President	8 May 2002	8 May 2006	4 years, 0 days
Trương Mỹ Hoa	Trương Mỹ Hoa	Vietnam	Asia	Vice President	12 August 2002	25 July 2007	4 years, 347 days
Teima Onorio	Teima Onorio	Kiribati	Oceania	Vice President	10 July 2003	12 March 2016	12 years, 246 days
Ana Vilma de Escobar	Ana Vilma de Escobar	El Salvador	North America	Vice President	1 June 2004	1 June 2009	5 years, 0 days
Joice Mujuru	Joice Mujuru	Zimbabwe	Africa	Vice President	6 December 2004	8 December 2014	10 years, 2 days
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka	Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka	South Africa	Africa	Deputy President	22 June 2005	24 September 2008	3 years, 94 days
Fatemeh Javadi	Fatemeh Javadi	Iran	Asia	Vice President	3 August 2005	5 August 2009	4 years, 2 days
Alice Nzomukunda	Alice Nzomukunda	Burundi	Africa	Vice President	29 August 2005	5 September 2006	1 year, 7 days
Najah al-Attar	Najah al-Attar	Syria	Asia	Vice President	23 March 2006	8 December 2024	18 years, 260 days
Dalia Itzik	Dalia Itzik	Israel	Asia	Designated Acting President	4 May 2006	30 March 2009	2 years, 330 days
Laura Chinchilla	Laura Chinchilla	Costa Rica	North America	First Vice President	8 May 2006	8 October 2008	2 years, 153 days
Lourdes Mendoza	Lourdes Mendoza	Peru	South America	Second Vice President	28 July 2006	28 July 2011	5 years, 0 days
Marina Barampama	Marina Barampama	Burundi	Africa	Vice President	8 September 2006	8 February 2007	153 days
Nguyễn Thị Doan	Nguyễn Thị Doan	Vietnam	Asia	Vice President	25 July 2007	8 April 2016	8 years, 258 days
Baleka Mbete	Baleka Mbete	South Africa	Africa	Deputy President	25 September 2008	9 May 2009	1 year, 107 days
Joyce Banda	Joyce Banda	Malawi	Africa	Vice President	29 May 2009	7 April 2012	2 years, 312 days
Fatemeh Bodaghi	Fatemeh Bodaghi	Iran	Asia	Vice President	21 September 2009	10 September 2013	3 years, 354 days
Farahnaz Torkestani	Farahnaz Torkestani	Iran	Asia	Vice President	21 September 2009	10 September 2013	3 years, 354 days
Maryam Mojtahedzadeh	Maryam Mojtahedzadeh	Iran	Asia	Vice President	21 September 2009	8 October 2013	4 years, 17 days
Nasrin Soltankhah	Nasrin Soltankhah	Iran	Asia	Vice President	21 September 2009	10 September 2013	3 years, 354 days
María Antonieta de Bográn	María Antonieta de Bográn	Honduras	North America	First Vice President	27 January 2010	27 January 2014	4 years, 0 days
Hannelore Kraft	Hannelore Kraft	Germany	Europe	President of the Bundesrat	1 November 2010	31 October 2011	1 year, 293 days
Monique Ohsan Bellepeau	Monique Ohsan Bellepeau	Mauritius	Africa	Vice President	12 November 2010	4 April 2016	5 years, 144 days
Assunção Esteves	Assunção Esteves	Portugal	Europe	President of Parliament	21 June 2011	22 October 2015	4 years, 123 days
Susan Denham	Susan Denham	Ireland	Europe	Chief Justice	25 July 2011	28 July 2017	6 years, 3 days
Marisol Espinoza	Marisol Espinoza	Peru	South America	First Vice President	28 July 2011	28 July 2016	5 years, 0 days
Meherzia Labidi Maïza	Meherzia Labidi Maïza	Tunisia	Africa	First Vice-president of the Constituent Assembly of Tunisia	22 November 2011	2 December 2014	3 years, 10 days
Roxana Baldetti	Roxana Baldetti	Guatemala	North America	Vice President	14 January 2012	8 May 2015	3 years, 114 days
Han Myeong-sook	Han Myeong-sook	South Korea	Asia	Prime Minister	16 January 2012	12 April 2012	87 days
Margarita Popova	Margarita Popova	Bulgaria	Europe	Vice President	22 January 2012	22 January 2017	5 years, 0 days
Margarita Cedeño	Margarita Cedeño	Dominican Republic	North America	Vice President	16 August 2012	16 August 2020	8 years, 0 days
Suheir Atassi	Suheir Atassi	Syrian Arab Republic (opposition)	Asia	Vice President of the National Coalition	12 November 2012	4 January 2015	2 years, 53 days
Gladys María Bejerano Portela	Gladys María Bejerano Portela	Cuba	North America	Vice President	24 February 2013	10 October 2019	6 years, 228 days
Mercedes López Acea	Mercedes López Acea	Cuba	North America	Vice President	24 February 2013	19 April 2018	5 years, 54 days
Elham Aminzadeh	Elham Aminzadeh	Iran	Asia	Vice President	11 August 2013	12 July 2016	2 years, 336 days
Shahindokht Molaverdi	Shahindokht Molaverdi	Iran	Asia	Vice President	8 October 2013	9 August 2017	3 years, 305 days
Ava Rossana Guevara	Ava Rossana Guevara	Honduras	North America	Second Vice President	27 January 2014	27 January 2018	4 years, 0 days
Lorena Enriqueta Herrera Estevez	Lorena Enriqueta Herrera Estevez	Honduras	North America	Third Vice President	27 January 2014	27 January 2018	4 years, 0 days
Ana Helena Chacón	Ana Helena Chacón	Costa Rica	North America	Second Vice President	8 May 2014	8 May 2018	4 years, 0 days
Isabel Saint Malo	Isabel Saint Malo	Panama	North America	Vice President	1 July 2014	1 July 2019	5 years, 0 days
Noura al-Ameer	Noura al-Ameer	Syrian Arab Republic (opposition)	Asia	Vice President of the National Coalition	4 January 2015	5 March 2016	1 year, 61 days
Inonge Wina	Inonge Wina	Zambia	Africa	Vice President	26 January 2015	24 August 2021	6 years, 210 days
Samia Suluhu Hassan	Samia Suluhu Hassan	Tanzania	Africa	Vice President	5 November 2015	19 March 2021	5 years, 134 days
Gabriela Michetti	Gabriela Michetti	Argentina	South America	Vice President	10 December 2015	10 December 2019	4 years, 0 days
Samira al-Masalma	Samira al-Masalma	Syrian Arab Republic (opposition)	Asia	Vice President of the National Coalition	5 March 2016	6 May 2017	1 year, 62 days
Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh	Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh	Vietnam	Asia	Vice President	8 April 2016	6 April 2021	4 years, 363 days
Leni Robredo	Leni Robredo	Philippines	Asia	Vice President	30 June 2016	30 June 2022	6 years, 0 days
Mercedes Aráoz	Mercedes Aráoz	Peru	South America	Second Vice President	28 July 2016	23 March 2018	1 year, 238 days
				First Vice President	23 March 2018	7 May 2020	2 years, 45 days
Malu Dreyer	Malu Dreyer	Germany	Europe	President of the Bundesrat	1 November 2016	31 October 2017	364 days
Zahra Ahmadipour	Zahra Ahmadipour	Iran	Asia	Vice President	6 November 2016	13 August 2017	280 days
Rosario Murillo	Rosario Murillo	Nicaragua	North America	Vice President	10 January 2017	30 January 2025	8 years, 20 days
Iliana Iotova	Iliana Iotova	Bulgaria	Europe	Vice President	22 January 2017	Incumbent	8 years, 188 days
Mehriban Aliyeva	Mehriban Aliyeva	Azerbaijan	Asia	Vice President	21 February 2017	Incumbent	8 years, 158 days
Fatoumata Tambajang	Fatoumata Tambajang	The Gambia	Africa	Vice President	22 February 2017	29 June 2018	1 year, 127 days
Salwa Aksoy	Salwa Aksoy	Syrian Arab Republic (opposition)	Asia	Vice President of the National Coalition	6 May 2017	6 May 2018	1 year, 0 days
Laya Jonaidi	Laya Jonaidi	Iran	Asia	Vice President	9 August 2017	1 September 2021	7 years, 354 days
Lucía Topolansky	Lucía Topolansky	Uruguay	South America	Vice President	13 September 2017	1 March 2020	2 years, 170 days
María Alejandra Vicuña	María Alejandra Vicuña	Ecuador	South America	Vice President	4 October 2017	4 December 2018	1 year, 61 days
Jewel Taylor	Jewel Taylor	Liberia	Africa	Vice President	22 January 2018	22 January 2024	6 years, 0 days
Olga Margarita Alvarado Rodríguez	Olga Margarita Alvarado Rodríguez	Honduras	North America	Second Vice President	27 January 2018	27 January 2022	4 years, 0 days
María Antonia Rivera	María Antonia Rivera	Honduras	North America	Third Vice President	27 January 2018	27 January 2022	4 years, 0 days
Elisabetta Casellati	Elisabetta Casellati	Italy	Europe	President of the Senate	24 March 2018	12 October 2022	4 years, 202 days
Inés María Chapman Waugh	Inés María Chapman Waugh	Cuba	North America	Vice President	19 April 2018	10 October 2019	1 year, 174 days
Beatriz Johnson Urrutia	Beatriz Johnson Urrutia	Cuba	North America	Vice President	19 April 2018	10 October 2019	1 year, 174 days
Dima Moussa	Dima Moussa	Syrian Arab Republic (opposition)	Asia	Vice President of the National Coalition	6 May 2018	1 July 2020	2 years, 56 days
					12 September 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 320 days
Epsy Campbell Barr	Epsy Campbell Barr	Costa Rica	North America	First Vice President	8 May 2018	8 May 2022	4 years, 0 days
Alicia Pucheta	Alicia Pucheta	Paraguay	South America	Vice President	9 May 2018	15 August 2018	98 days
Delcy Rodríguez	Delcy Rodríguez	Venezuela	South America	Vice President	14 June 2018	Incumbent	7 years, 45 days
Marta Lucía Ramírez	Marta Lucía Ramírez	Colombia	South America	Vice President	7 August 2018	7 August 2022	4 years, 0 days
Olga Sánchez Cordero	Olga Sánchez Cordero	Mexico	North America	Secretary of the Interior	1 December 2018	26 August 2021	2 years, 268 days
Isatou Touray	Isatou Touray	The Gambia	Africa	Vice President	15 March 2019	4 May 2022	3 years, 50 days
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner	Cristina Fernández de Kirchner	Argentina	South America	Vice President	10 December 2019	10 December 2023	4 years, 0 days
Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior	Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior	South Sudan	Africa	Fourth Vice President	21 February 2020	Incumbent	5 years, 158 days
Beatriz Argimón	Beatriz Argimón	Uruguay	South America	Vice President	1 March 2020	1 March 2025	5 years, 0 days
María Alejandra Muñoz	María Alejandra Muñoz	Ecuador	South America	Vice President	22 July 2020	24 May 2021	306 days
Raquel Peña de Antuña	Raquel Peña de Antuña	Dominican Republic	North America	Vice President	16 August 2020	Incumbent	4 years, 347 days
Kamala Harris	Kamala Harris	United States	North America	Vice President	20 January 2021	20 January 2025	4 years, 0 days
Uduch Sengebau Senior	Uduch Sengebau Senior	Palau	Oceania	Vice President	21 January 2021	16 January 2025	3 years, 361 days
Pany Yathotou	Pany Yathotou	Laos	Asia	Vice President	22 March 2021	Incumbent	4 years, 129 days
Võ Thị Ánh Xuân	Võ Thị Ánh Xuân	Vietnam	Asia	Vice President	6 April 2021	Incumbent	4 years, 114 days
Mariam Chabi Talata	Mariam Chabi Talata	Benin	Africa	Vice President	24 May 2021	Incumbent	4 years, 66 days
Jessica Alupo	Jessica Alupo	Uganda	Africa	Vice President	21 June 2021	Incumbent	4 years, 38 days
Dina Boluarte	Dina Boluarte	Peru	South America	First Vice President	28 July 2021	7 December 2022	1 year, 132 days
Mutale Nalumango	Mutale Nalumango	Zambia	Africa	Vice President	24 August 2021	Incumbent	3 years, 339 days
Ensieh Khazali	Ensieh Khazali	Iran	Asia	Vice President	1 September 2021	10 August 2024	2 years, 344 days
Doris Gutiérrez	Doris Gutiérrez	Honduras	North America	Second Vice President	27 January 2022	Incumbent	3 years, 183 days
Izkia Siches	Izkia Siches	Chile	South America	Minister of the Interior and Public Security	11 March 2022	6 September 2022	179 days
Mary Munive	Mary Munive	Costa Rica	North America	Second Vice President	8 May 2022	Incumbent	3 years, 82 days
Sara Duterte	Sara Duterte	Philippines	Asia	Vice President	30 June 2022	Incumbent	3 years, 29 days
Francia Márquez	Francia Márquez	Colombia	South America	Vice President	7 August 2022	Incumbent	2 years, 356 days
Carolina Tohá	Carolina Tohá	Chile	South America	Minister of the Interior and Public Security	6 September 2022	Incumbent	2 years, 326 days
Esperança da Costa	Esperança da Costa	Angola	Africa	Vice President	15 September 2022	Incumbent	2 years, 317 days
Rose Christiane Raponda	Rose Christiane Raponda	Gabon	Africa	Vice President	9 January 2023	30 August 2023	233 days
Luisa María Alcalde Luján	Luisa María Alcalde Luján	Mexico	North America	Secretary of the Interior	19 June 2023	30 September 2024	1 year, 103 days
Manuela Schwesig	Manuela Schwesig	Germany	Europe	President of the Bundesrat	1 November 2023	31 October 2024	365 days
Verónica Abad Rojas	Verónica Abad Rojas	Ecuador	South America	Vice President	25 November 2023	24 May 2025	1 year, 180 days
Victoria Villarruel	Victoria Villarruel	Argentina	South America	Vice President	10 December 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 231 days
Karin Herrera	Karin Herrera	Guatemala	North America	Vice President	15 January 2024	Incumbent	1 year, 195 days
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah	Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah	Namibia	Africa	Vice President	4 February 2024	21 March 2025	1 year, 45 days
Hsiao Bi-khim	Hsiao Bi-khim	Taiwan (Republic of China)	Asia	Vice President	20 May 2024	Incumbent	1 year, 70 days
Zahra Behrouz Azar	Zahra Behrouz Azar	Iran	Asia	Vice President	10 August 2024	Incumbent	353 days
Shina Ansari	Shina Ansari				22 August 2024	Incumbent	341 days
Rosa Icela Rodríguez	Rosa Icela Rodríguez	Mexico	North America	Secretary of the Interior	1 October 2024	Incumbent	301 days
Anke Rehlinger	Anke Rehlinger	Germany	Europe	President of the Bundesrat	1 November 2024	Incumbent	270 days
Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang	Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang	Ghana	Africa	Vice President	7 January 2025	Incumbent	203 days
Josephine Joseph Lagu	Josephine Joseph Lagu	South Sudan	Africa	Fifth Vice President	10 February 2025	Incumbent	169 days
Carolina Cosse	Carolina Cosse	Uruguay	South America	Vice President	1 March 2025	Incumbent	150 days
Lucia Witbooi	Lucia Witbooi	Namibia	Africa	Vice President	21 March 2025	Incumbent	130 days
María José Pinto	María José Pinto	Ecuador	South America	Vice President	24 May 2025	Incumbent	66 days

See also

• Council of Women World Leaders
• List of current state leaders by date of assumption of office
• List of elected and appointed female heads of state and government
• List of elected and appointed female deputy heads of government
• Women in government