Michelle Bachelet

Michelle Bachelet is a Chilean politician and physician who served as the President of Chile from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2018, making her the first woman to hold the position in the country. She is a member of the Socialist Party of Chile and was the first Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).

Early Life and Education

Bachelet was born in Santiago, Chile, on September 29, 1951. Her father, Alberto Bachelet, was an Air Force Brigadier General who opposed the 1973 Chilean coup d'état and was tortured and killed by the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Bachelet and her mother were also detained and tortured before they were forced into exile.

Bachelet studied medicine at the University of Chile, where she graduated in 1979. She also holds a military strategy degree from Chile's National Academy of Strategy and Policy and a master's degree in military sciences from the Inter-American Defense College in the United States.

Political Career

Bachelet entered politics in the late 1990s, serving as Minister of Health under President Ricardo Lagos from 2000 to 2002. She then served as Minister of Defense from 2002 to 2004, becoming the first woman in Latin America to hold such a position.

In 2006, Bachelet was elected President of Chile, becoming the first woman to hold the position. She focused on social protection programs and gender equality during her first term. In 2014, she was re-elected for a second term, during which she implemented a series of educational, tax, and labor reforms.

Post-Presidency

After her presidency, Bachelet was appointed as the first Executive Director of UN Women, where she served from 2010 to 2013. In 2018, she was appointed as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, a position she currently holds.

Legacy

Bachelet is widely regarded as one of the most influential women in Chilean history. Her presidency marked a significant shift in Chilean politics, with a focus on social protection and gender equality. Her work with UN Women and as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has also been widely recognized.

See Also

• Politics of Chile
• Women in politics

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