Andy Richardson: Girl power leading the way
Let’s hear it for the girls. While the world’s alpha males have lost their marbles, female leaders are having a pretty good war.
From New Zealand to Denmark, from Taiwan to Germany, nations led by women have generally fared better than those led by men. It must be something in the water.
Jacinda Ardern, the brilliant New Zealand premier, has ended undetected community transmission of Covid-19. Angela Merkel has put Germany ahead of other Western democracies while spending her time at press conferences brilliantly articulating science and maths. It’s a stark contrast to Donald ‘Toilet Duck’ Trump, who suggested Americans might drink disinfectant. Mine’s a Dettol chaser, please Donald.
The clear, calm actions of Norway’s premier Erna Solberg, Denmark’s Metter Frederiksen and Iceland’s youthful Katrin Jakobsdottir have saved lives.
Their interventions have been in stark contrast to neighbouring Stefan Lofven, in Sweden, whose go-it-alone avoidance of lockdown has led to more deaths. Funny that – but not if you’re among the higher number who’ve contracted Covid-19.
More Covid-19 coverage:
From Taiwan, where president Tsai Ing-wen responded quickly, to the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten, where Silveria Jacobs told her 41,500 population to stay home and eat sardines; women have been firm and effective, empathetic and successful. Belgium’s Sophie Wilmes is the notable exception.
The female approach has been matched by some male leaders, notably those in Australia, Greece, the Czech Republic, South Korea and Vietnam. Other men, however, have struggled. From Italy to Spain, from the UK to the USA, from Iran to France, many have struggled to get a grip.
Not that comparing death rates is an entirely reliable indicator of a country’s performance. National demographies vary and statistics record different measures. In the UK’s case, for instance, the actual morbidity figures are considerably higher than those published.
Wild animals are the only ones doing well, with penguins the latest to stake their claim. In South Africa’s Simon’s Towns, they are roaming the streets while those at Chicago Zoo watch other captive animals through the glass, marvelling at the dexterity of whales and seals while roaming the corridors untroubled.
