Original version

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Radio

World Service Radio

Witness History

Podcasts

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: History

History as told by the people who were there

History as told by the people who were there.

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service South Asia

Witness History: The world's first woman premier

Documentaries

The world's first woman premier

17/11/2020 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, The world's first woman premier

In 1960 Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka became the world's first woman Prime Minister

Sirimavo Bandaranaike was elected the prime minster of Sri Lanka, or Ceylon as it was known then, in 1960 following the assassination of her husband, Solomon Bandaranaike.

Sirimavo Bandaranaike was elected the modern world's first female head of government in 1960 when she became Prime Minister of Sri Lanka or Ceylon as it was known then.  She entered politics after the assassination of her husband Solomon Bandrainaike in  1959. Farhana Haider has been speaking to her daughter Sunethra Bandaranaike about her mother's remarkable political achievement.

Photo Sirimavo Bandaranaike  the Prime Minister of Ceylon (later Sri Lanka), 1960.  Credit Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Witness History

The world's first woman premier

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service

About BBC World Service