Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa

Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa (born October 18, 1952) (Arabic: هيا راشد آل خليفة) is a lawyer and diplomat from Bahrain.

She set up her own practise and is the founder of the Haya Rashed Al Khalifa Law Firm.

She was the third woman to hold the position since Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit of India and Angie Elisabeth Brooks of Liberia were appointed to the presidency in 1953 and 1969 respectively.

The move was the first in a series of appointments of women to high-profile government positions in recent years, which have included the country's first female cabinet minister, Nada Haffadh, and six women nominated to the Shura Council, the upper house of parliament.

On the same day (6 June 2006) that Haya was selected to preside at the UN, Mona Al Kawari became the first female judge in Bahrain.