Inonge Wina speaks as Zambia’s first female Vice President - Inonge Wina

It was a privilege for me, but it also had the benefit of renewing the ambitions of young women in my country.

I come from a family of women leaders, and my husband was also active in politics. At that time, I was working with NGOs. After my husband passed away, I made a deliberate decision; I believed that those of us in leadership positions in civil society need to step forward. I was then elected to Parliament in 2001. Initially, I served in the opposition, but since the last elections, our party, the Patriotic Front, has been in government.

Remember, this was the era of The Cold War, the black and civil rights movements in America, and the decolonization of Africa, so all of these had an impact on me and contributed to shaping my outlook on life and my dedication to public service.