Up until this point, Mexico was a country run by men, known for its persistently high levels of violence, especially against women.

Just in January 2024, there were more than 20,000 total cases of domestic violence, assault, homicide and rape in Mexico.

Women have faced the brunt of this, with Mexico recently experiencing increasing levels of violence against women. Yet, the justice system downplays the level of violence, providing legal loopholes for offenders to receive lighter punishment.

The United Nations reported that of 1.7 mn criminal investigations taking place in Mexico 2015-2023 for violence against women, only 781 were prosecuted as attempted femicides, which carries a higher sentence than domestic abuse or malicious injury.

Previous presidents, all of whom were male, have been dismissive of this problem. After Andrés Manuel López Obrador was elected president in 2018, the number of daily femicides increased to around ten in comparison to before his inauguration, when it was six.

This is why female representation, particularly in leadership, is important. I, along with many women and girls in Mexico, hope she will bring to light and address what is, in my opinion, one of the biggest issues – violence against women.

There are currently only 26 countries with women as head of state or government, and Mexico will soon add to the frustratingly low number. She is also the first Jewish person to be elected.

Sheinbaum received almost 60% of the vote, double that of her female opponent businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez. The fact that the two candidates were both women was incredibly positive in itself and a step forward in a Catholic country known for its strongly patriarchal culture.

On becoming the president elect (she takes power on October 1), Sheinbaum said her win was something she did not arrive at alone, adding: “We all arrived, with our heroines who gave us our homeland, with our ancestors, our mothers, our daughters and our granddaughters.”

Sheinbaum has already come up with a five-step plan on how to deal with the violence in Mexico. It consists of judicial reforms, combining forces with the police and National Guard, as well as paying more attention to the causes of violence.

But she has a difficult task ahead of her, especially as Mexico’s first female president. Mexican academic and journalist Viri Rios warned: “Success won’t come easily.”

“I will not fail you,” she promised Mexican citizens, as well as the community expecting the most from her – women, especially the younger generation. Not only did she make history (or herstory), she can also act as a role model for young women, serving as an example of overcoming the odds.

Her victory showed millions that women can do anything.

Her career in politics began when she started working alongside Mexico’s outgoing president, López Obrador. Now, she will be replacing him as the first woman to hold the office in over 200 years of the country’s independence. This change in power has a chance to revolutionise the country.

As a doctoral student in engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), she spent four years at a Berkeley Lab as a researcher during the 1990s so she is more than equipped to correctly and effectively tackle the climate crisis. She also contributed to two Noble Prize winning reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

However, this task will not be easy. Mexico is dependent on fossil fuels and is the world’s 11th largest oil producer. This would also diverge strongly from the policies of her predecessor, who constructed a new oil refinery.

It shows a completely new perspective and highlights Sheinbaum’s priorities and vision for Mexico. It’s refreshing to see not only a female president, but also one who cares about the future generations and the planet.

She is thought to get things done quietly rather than sell herself and has been described as an exacting boss. This quality is especially critical for women in positions of power. “One doesn’t go to her meetings to tell her, ‘I’m working on it’,” stated a former member of Sheinbaum’s mayoral cabinet.

There is no denying she will face many challenges. Sheinbaum must tackle environmental issues in an oil-dependent country going through a water crisis, and improve safety, with 2023 being a record-breaking year for the number of murders.

Her presidency marks an important milestone in the history of Mexico. We can only guess what Sheinbaum will do going forward, but it is certain she has already made an impact on the feminist movement and inspired women around the world.