Claudette Werleigh
A Haitian diplomat and activist who broke the political glass ceiling to become the nation's first female prime minister.
Born 1946 (age 80)·Haitian politician·Birthday: September 26·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born in 1946 in Cap-Haïtien, Claudette Werleigh's life has been defined by a commitment to social justice, shaped by Haiti's turbulent political landscape. Trained as a lawyer, she initially dedicated herself to humanitarian work, serving as the Secretary General of Caritas Haiti and deeply engaging with issues of poverty and development. Her entry into formal politics was a natural extension of this grassroots focus. In November 1995, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide appointed her Prime Minister, making her the first woman to lead Haiti's government. Her tenure, though brief, was a historic milestone in a nation with a complex patriarchal history. Beyond her premiership, Werleigh's influence expanded internationally through her work with peacebuilding organizations like the Life & Peace Institute and the Hague-based Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, where she advocated for non-violent conflict resolution and women's inclusion in peace processes.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Claudette was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Claudette Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Claudette's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Appointed as the first female Prime Minister of Haiti in 1995, serving until 1996.
- Served as the Secretary General of the Catholic humanitarian organization Caritas Haiti.
- Held the position of Director of the Life & Peace Institute, an international peace research organization.
- Acted as a consultant for the United Nations on development and peacebuilding issues.
Did You Know?
She is fluent in Haitian Creole, French, English, and Spanish.
Before entering politics, she studied law at the State University of Haiti.
She has served on the board of directors for the International Peace Institute.
“True change is built from the ground up, in the hands of the people.”
