Unpicked in 5

43. Need a woman in charge


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There are 193 countries in the world with only 15 run by women. Of the 193, about 65 are under authoritarian rule .Of these, only three are run by woman ( Serbia, Bangladesh, and Tajikistan).Women constitute 40% of the global workforce. About 23% of Board Directors seats are filled by women. Only 6% of the global prison population are women. Only 15% of all detected crimes are committed by women and only 10% of serious crimes.

Sri Lanka was the first to elect a woman leader in 1960, followed by Israel in 1969 (Golda Meir) and of course Maggie Thatcher in 1966. There have been 300 armed conflicts since 1945 with women as head of state in only 20 or say 6% of them .In the Uk life expectancy for men is 79 and 83 of women.

Woman leaders are rated higher when it comes to team collaboration, mentorship and detailed planning. Men are perceived as delegating and bigger risk takers. Women are better at multi taking and verbal memory, versus men who are better at spatial organization tasks ( the relationship between objects and spaces ).74% of all psychologists are women and 74% of HR Managers are women.

Maragret Thatcher was the fist women Prime Minister in the UK and the longest serving in the 20th century (1979-1900). Love or hate her ,she transformed the UK into a free-market economy and played a key role in ending the Cold War with Ronald Reegan. She was divisive, but made a profound impact. Angela Markel was Chancellor of Germany for 16  years ,steering the EU. She was a ‘global anchor of stability’. We should also highlight Jacinda Arden of New Zealand. as we all as Queen Victoria, Queen Elixabeth and Catherine the Great of Russia. Let's shout out loud, please for all women and women who lead in a time of need  !

I recently traveled on a four-hour train journey from Bordeaux to Beziers; It actually took nearly 7 hours. The train was delayed by 120 Bordeau Football supporters on their way to watch a local derby. Very large armed policemen boarded the train at Agen and kept everyone on the station platform for 2 hours, including the very noisy, inebriated supporters.

They eventually let the supporters back on the train after getting someone remotely in charge to sign the permission papers… on a Sunday. It was French be bureaucracy at its best. This song is me calling out for a woman to take charge and get the train moving. The song is called ‘Need a woman in charge’. The first verse goes like this,’ Where’s old Maggie when you need her. Not the woman, with a cat on her lap. Need a woman in charge, it’s clear. Stay on the train, mind the gap’. Most of the journey was like a carry-on film with very amusing characters emerging amongst the chaos. Its was probably my favourite train journey all time, As a writer I couldn’t make notes quick enough. I simply list the characters here, for you to then enjoy the song ( hopefully). The woman, with a cat on her lap.120 rowdy football fans ( most of them tiny and only 17 years of age as a guess),Twenty very big  heavily armed French Policeman. Two immaculately dressed gay men, up for a fight. A bunch of men in a circle discussing events. A trained dancer asking me ( yes me !) for career advice. A woman serving coffee who kept asking me if I was a film star ( what ?). I said I was actually James Biond A man snoring throughout and a man who kept taking his dog off the train for a wee. A women who would not move her legs from the isle, so everyone just jumped over them, Including the dog. Four very composed well dressed and beautiful French women , who just smiled and were perfectly delightful ( and gorgeous - can I say that ?). A Rapper Dude getting very annoyed and agitated, and a Tannoy announcer who was hyperactive to say the least. I could go on. Enjoy the song !


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Unpicked in 5By Brady Kent