Tamara Rapajic
The Prime Ministers of Finland and New Zealand have dismissed suggestions they only met because of their gender and similar age.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin – accompanied by the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari and a business delegation – visited New Zealand between November 29th and December 2nd. It was a historically significant meeting, being the first time a Finnish Prime Minister has visited New Zealand.
During a press conference, a male journalist from Newstalk ZB asked about the reason behind the trip. He stated that people thought their sex and similar age led to the meeting. The question has been labelled as sexist in the media.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern responded by asking “whether or not anyone ever asked Barack Obama and John Key if they met because they were of similar age.” Obama, the former US President, and Key, the former New Zealand Prime Minister, were born within days of each other.
Prime Minister Sanna Marin responded by saying they met because they are both Prime Ministers.
Both leaders acknowledged they have a responsibility as female leaders to women around the globe. Ardern cited Iran as an example of “dire circumstances, where we are seeing the most basic of human rights being repressed and violated.”
Ms Marin added the two stand together on equality and are determined to see girls and women “across the world have the same opportunities as men.”
Ms Ardern stated the meeting is a chance to “leverage the economic opportunities between our two countries,” adding that this is their job regardless of gender. They are committed to bossing trade opportunities and deepening the ties between the countries.
She also added it has been “insightful” to hear the perspectives of Ms Marin on the Russian and Ukrainian conflict.
The press conference is available here:
Featured image courtesy of FinnishGovernment via Flickr. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
