ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia’s new Cabinet is now a record 50 percent female, including the country’s first woman defense minister, after lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously approved the nominations put forward by reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. “Our women ministers will disprove the old adage that women can’t lead,” Abiy said while presenting his choices. The Horn of Africa power joins a handful of countries, mostly European, where women make up 50 percent or more of ministerial positions, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union and U.N. Women. French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in recent years unveiled “gender-balanced” Cabinets. Several African nations have had female defense ministers including South Africa, Central African Republic, Kenya and Guinea-Bissau.

Source: Ethiopian News October 16, 2018 11:16 UTC