Sharing Power: Colombia's Dramatic Surge of Women Leaders

by Barbara Frechette

After Barbara Frechette arrived in Colombia in 1994 as the wife of the United States ambassador, she witnessed the fascinating rise of powerful women leaders during the uncertainty of a dangerous drug war that raged for years. Fascinated as to how and why women progressed with such extraordinary speed in Colombia despite facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Frechette asked seven influential women leaders to analyze this paradoxical development. In this re-released version of her original comprehensive study of a women's movement in Colombia that sprang to life after women won the vote in 1957 and blossomed in 1998 when two of the women in this book ran for president, Frechette offers captivating chronological leadership profiles of outstanding women and the family influences, leadership styles, and religious roots that inspired them to seek to better their nation, despite death threats and risks of political exile.

172 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2011

Reviews

[Dalyn Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharing Power: Colombia's Dramatic Surge of Women Leaders is a compelling, deeply researched, and illuminating examination of one of the most remarkable political evolutions in modern Latin American history. Barbara Frechette offers a nuanced and powerful study of how Colombian women despite entrenched societal barriers, political instability, and the brutal realities of drug war violence rose to positions of national influence with unprecedented momentum.

Frechette’s vantage point as the wife of the U.S. ambassador during the mid 1990s provides rare proximity to Colombia’s shifting political and social landscape. Her narrative blends rigorous research with firsthand context, creating an account that feels both intimate and authoritatively informed. Through seven in depth leadership profiles, she explores the personal histories, family values, spiritual foundations, and leadership philosophies that shaped each woman’s path to power.

What distinguishes this book is its clear eyed portrayal of courage. These leaders navigated threats, discrimination, and political upheaval yet their commitment to national progress remained unshaken. Frechette captures their resilience, strategic intelligence, and moral conviction with exceptional clarity, offering readers a profound look at women whose influence helped reshape Colombia’s political identity.

Sharing Power stands not only as a testament to these individual leaders but also as a broader reflection on gender, democracy, cultural transformation, and the mechanisms of social change. It is essential reading for anyone interested in women’s leadership, Latin American politics, and the power of perseverance in the face of extraordinary adversity.