We live in a patriarchal world where men are often seen as the leaders, the ones to take charge. But according to Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, this does mean that they are better leaders.

Mottley was speaking on Good Morning Britain where she asserted that women make better leaders than men.

According to the first female Prime Minister of Barbados, women are more “caring” than men, and give greater consideration to the impact their decisions will have on people’s feelings, and are better at encouraging changes in behaviour.

“I think the issue is more really how women operate in terms of caring,” She said. “And in many instances, we treat issues how we would treat the household and the family.

“Not in a negative way, in a way that recognises unless you drill down to things and see where you are in respect to how people are operating, and recognise how people are feeling and listening to you, you cannot change behaviour.”

Mottley’s assertion comes after a study comparing countries of a similar size with comparable populations showed that at the start of the pandemic, women reacted faster, locked their countries down sooner, and had less deaths overall than those run by their male counterparts.

“In this circumstance, it’s behaviour that can contain the virus, these things tend to reflect more because we will pause and not just look at it academically, but think how will it impact the people who are hurting,” Mottley said.

She said her views aren’t sexist, but simply wants “the attributes women bring to public office” celebrated.

“I don’t think [it is sexist]. I think in households women negotiate in everything we do everyday,” she said.

“Women also have to cooperate with men and we get that, so it gives us a complete picture, and I try not to use the sexist prism. But I want us to understand the attributes women bring to public office do make a difference,” she added.