In 1979, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became Liberia's first female Minister of Finance.
On July 26, 1979, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was appointed as Minister of Finance of Liberia, thus becoming the first woman to hold this pivotal office in the nation’s history. This appointment was not only symbolic of breaking the glass ceiling for women in Liberia but also critical in an era of economic challenges. Johnson Sirleaf's role in the ministry symbolized a significant step toward gender equality in the political landscape of Liberia, laying the groundwork for her future influence over national and international economic policies.