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Stereotypes -

The masculine stereotypes of strength and leadership are some of the big challenges that women in power are faced with.

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Doubts -

A leader is expected to be forward, domineering, and even aggressive. Historically, these traits aren't greatly appreciated in women, who are often judged as cold and unlikable.

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Time for a change? -

But many male leaders aren't looking too good after the events of 2020, so perhaps a new style of leadership and a new perception of strength will find renewed interest in the near future.

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Men in power -

The heads of huge nations like the US, the UK, and Brazil attempted to downplay the pandemic for as long as possible to give the appearance that everything was under control. They now have the highest infection rates and death tolls in the world.

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Consequences -

Some have described this pandemic as a battle between life and livelihood. The measures that save lives will inevitably impact businesses.

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Return to normalcy -

However, the countries that took the swiftest action to save lives are the first to return to normal after a fast recovery.

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Jacinda Arden -

Prime Minister Jacinda Arden and her government developed a detailed four-level pandemic action plan, which she shared with the country on March 21. They went into strict lockdown on March 26 with 205 cases.

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New Zealand -

New Zealand was able to begin lifting restrictions one month later, and as of June 7 they are coronavirus free. The total of infected people only reached around 1,500.

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Comparison with Ireland -

Ireland, another island nation with around the same population as New Zealand, has reached more than 25,000 cases.

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Jacinda Ardern -

Jacinda Arden acted quickly and cautiously, using a science-based approach that prioritized human life above all else.

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New Zealand -

They began with strict quarantining at New Zealand's borders. Anyone who entered the country was required to quarantine for 14 days.

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New Zealand -

They focused on extensive testing and tracing to contain the virus. It's reported that more than 250,000 tests were done in New Zealand.

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Jacinda Ardern -

Jacinda Arden was praised for her clear communication and empathy. Rather than "waging war" on Covid-19, her message was for the country to unite against the virus.

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Jacinda Ardern -

Her government provided clear information and daily updates on the situation, so that citizens understood the reasons for the measures that were being taken.

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Jacinda Ardern -

Arden congratulated the people of New Zealand for containing the virus through their actions and support of one another. Her empathy and transparency were a strong contrast with other world leaders.

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Jacinda Ardern -

Arden also adopted a very personal connection with her people through casual Facebook live streams.

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Jacinda Ardern -

She would go live from her home in her tracksuit and speak to the nation about the lockdown experience, as well as answering questions and giving further explanations about the government's actions.

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Tsai Ing-wen - In Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen began her second term after a landslide re-election in January 2020. Her reaction to the crisis has only strengthened her reputation.

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Taiwan -

Taiwan was expected to be heavily impacted by the virus due to its close connections with China, similar to the SARS outbreak in 2003.

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Tsai Ing-wen -

With the support of Vice President Chen Chien-jen, who is also a highly trained epidemiologist and virus expert, President Ing-wen rolled out a 124 step action plan to contain the virus at an early stage.

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Taiwan -

They began increasing production of masks as early as January. They also restricted travel to many parts of China and disallowed cruise ships from docking at their ports.

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Taiwan -

Taiwan has an excellent health care system that provides universal coverage to the population. They carried out extensive testing, as well as re-testing of those who had unexplained pneumonia.

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Tsai Ing-wen -

Amazingly, President Ing-wen never introduced a strict lockdown like other countries. The cooperation and respect of citizens and local businesses, as well as restrictions on travel and group activities, kept Taiwan relatively safe.

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Tsai Ing-wen - They began taking measures in late January and as of May new cases were almost eliminated. The total number of infected people has only reach around 450 out of a population of about 24 million.

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Angela Merkel - In Germany, Angela Merkel has been praised for her swift and calm response to the pandemic. She is currently seeing her highest approval ratings since 2017.

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Angela Merkel -

The German government imposed restrictions on March 15. As a scientist with a doctorate in quantum chemistry, Merkel also used a science-based policy that was clearly communicated to the German public.

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Germany -

Germany has received quite a high number of cases, reaching approximately 180,000 at the beginning of June. However, their death rate is exceptionally low.

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Germany -

Germany's death rate was approximately 1.6%, while European neighbors such as France, Spain, and Italy were between 10-12%.

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Germany -

It's believed that this was achieved through taking early measures, preparing for widespread testing, and sufficient ICU facilities, as well as clear social distancing measures that were respected by the public.

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See also - Now that you've seen some of the best responses to the pandemic, why not take a look at the worst? Check out this list of the most outrageous comments from world politicians.

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