Sorry America, these female Muslim leaders already broke the 'glass ceiling'

The United States presidential election has come and gone and with it, the hope many Americans had that the so-called "glass ceiling" for women would finally be broken with the election of Hillary Clinton. 

That dream didn't come true and it will be at least four more years before a woman will possibly be considered for the countries highest post. 

It's ironic actually. The U.S. politicians and the American media often perpetuate ideas that Islam is inherently oppressive to women and yet, many Muslim countries have broken that "glass ceiling" decades ago, while the U.S. still seems unable to.

Here is a look at 10 powerful Muslim women who governed their countries as heads of state or heads of government. Sorry America, your time will come.

Tansu Çiller was the prime minister of Turkey from 1993 until 1996. She was the first, and remains the only, woman to serve as the country's head of government.

First entering politics in 1990 as an economic advisor to the prime minister, she went on to run successfully for parliament in 1991. She was quickly elected as economics minister when her political party took power. Following her tenure as prime minister, she continued for one year as deputy prime minister and remained in active politics until 2002.

Holding a doctorate degree from the University of Connecticut and post-graduate qualifications from Yale University, Çiller worked as an academic and a bank president before entering political life. She currently is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, a network of former and current female presidents and prime ministers working to mobilize women leaders globally.

Having taken office in 2009, Sheikh Hasina is the current prime minister of Bangladesh. She ranked No. 26 on Forbes' list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women in 2016.

As the daughter of Bangaldesh's first president,  Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina was politically aware from a young age. In 1975, her father and entire family, besides her and her sister, were assassinated, forcing her into self-exile in India. She was elected as President of the Bangladesh Awami League, a left-of-center political party, in 1981 while still in exile.

After serving as the leader of opposition and remaining president of her political party, she was first elected prime minister in 1996 and served as the head of government until 2001. She went back to serving as an opposition leader and survived an assassination attempt in 2004 and returned as prime minister in 2009.

From 2001 to 2004, Megawati Sukarnoputri served as the president of Indonesia. Today she is the leader of one of the country's largest political parties, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.

Her father was the first president of Indonesia and she first entered politics in 1987 when she was elected to the country's legislator. She became vice-president in 1999 and took over as head of state in 2001 when her predecessor was removed. She failed to win reelection in 2004. In 2009 she ran again for president, losing her second bid for the top office.

Benazir Bhutto served as the prime minister of Pakistan twice, from 1988 to 1990 and from 1993 to 1996. She also served as the leader of the parliamentary opposition from 1990 to 1993 and from 1997 to 1999. Bhutto was the first women in the Muslim world to head a democratic government.

Coming from a political family, Bhutto was groomed for politics and studied at Harvard University and at Oxford. Her father, who previously served as president and also as prime minister of Pakistan, was executed in 1979 on charges of authorizing the murder of a political opponent.

Bhutto's rule was plagued with controversy but she often received significant western backing. She was forced into political exile in the 2000s and returned to Pakistan in hopes of becoming prime minister once again, but being well aware that her personal safety was at risk. Her concerns were merited and she was assassinated in 2007.

Khaleda Zia served prime minister from 1991 to 1996 and also from 2001 to 2006. She was the first women to head the government of Bangladesh. Zia has also served as the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Part for more than 30 years.

Elected as Kosovo's president in 2011, Atifete Jahjaga served as head of state until April of this year. She was the first female to be elected president in the country.

Her main efforts as president centered around strengthening the young nation's democratic institutions and building the country's international image. She was very active in promoting the country's bid to integrate with the European Union.

Mame Madior Boye served as Senegal's prime minister from 2001 to 2002, the first woman to hold the position. In 2004, she was appointed as the African Union's Special Representative for the promotion of the protection of civilians in armed conflicts.

Following in the footsteps of Boye, Aminata Touré was the second woman to serve as prime minister of Senegal. She held the office from 2013 to 2014.

Prior to becoming prime minister, she served as the country's justice minister and is credited for her efforts to tackle corruption.

From 2011 to 2012, Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé was the first woman to serve as Mali's prime minister. But, she was removed from office along with her government in a military coup.

Prior to her role as prime minister, Sidibé served in various government positions including minister of planning and international cooperation, minister of agriculture and environment and minister of rural development.

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim became the first elected female president of Mauritius in 2015. As a Muslim, Gurib-Fakim is a member of a religious minority in the majority Hindu country.

Holding a doctorate in chemistry, Gurib-Fakim is a scientist and held leading academic roles until 2014. She has received numerous international awards including the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science in 2007 and the the African Union Award for Women in Science.