Eugenia Charles
Mary Eugenia Charles (15 May 1919 – 6 September 2005) was a Dominican politician who was Prime Minister of Dominica from 21 July 1980 until 14 June 1995. The first female lawyer in Dominica, she was Dominica's first, and to date only, female prime minister. She was the second female prime minister in the Caribbean after Lucina da Costa of the Netherlands Antilles. She was the first female in the Americas to be elected in her own right as head of government. She served for the second longest period of any Dominican prime minister, and was the world's fourth longest-serving female prime minister, behind Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka and Indira Gandhi of India.
Eugenia Charles | |
|---|---|
Charles at the United Nations, New York, New York, United States in 1985 | |
| 2nd Prime Minister of Dominica | |
| In office 21 July 1980 – 14 June 1995 | |
| President | Aurelius Marie Clarence Seignoret Crispin Sorhaindo |
| Deputy | Anthony Moise Charles Maynard |
| Preceded by | Oliver Seraphin |
| Succeeded by | Edison James |
| Member of Parliament for Roseau Central | |
| In office 24 March 1975 – 14 June 1995 | |
| Succeeded by | Charles Savarin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 May 1919 Pointe Michel, Dominica |
| Died | 6 September 2005 (aged 86) Fort-de-France, Martinique |
| Political party | Freedom Party |
| Alma mater | University of Toronto London School of Economics |
She was also described as the "Iron Lady of the Caribbean."