Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern delivered an impassioned plea for women to pursue leadership roles without fearing motherhood would hold them back, as she bid farewell to politics in her valedictory speech to parliament on Wednesday in Wellington.
“I leave knowing I was the best mother I could be,” Ardern, 42, told the packed chamber, adding, “You can be that person, and be here.” Her words resonated deeply with women across the globe who have long faced the challenge of balancing family and career.
Lauded internationally for her empathetic and decisive leadership, Ardern’s unexpected resignation in January stunned many. Though celebrated abroad, she had become a more polarizing figure within New Zealand. Her Labour Party, once dominant in the polls, was losing ground ahead of the upcoming election.
Ardern will be remembered as a strong crisis manager, having steered New Zealand through some of its most harrowing events during her five-year term. These included the Christchurch terrorist attack in 2019, where 51 worshippers were killed in two mosques, the volcanic eruption on Whakaari/White Island later that year that claimed 22 lives, and the Covid-19 pandemic that reshaped the world.
Reflecting on these events, Ardern said, “Having sadly seen our nation in horrific moments of grief, I’ve concluded that countries don’t move on from tragedy, rather they become part of your psyche. But the way these moments weave themselves into our being will be determined by how we confront them.”
At 37, Ardern was New Zealand’s youngest prime minister in 150 years and only the second woman to hold the office. Her combination of youth, charisma, and progressive values quickly catapulted her to global prominence. In 2018, she made history as only the second world leader to give birth while in office, following former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Ardern’s decision to continue leading her country while raising a newborn became a powerful symbol for working mothers worldwide.
In her final address, Ardern opened up about the challenges of her fertility journey, revealing the emotional hurdles she faced. “I had not long experienced a failed IVF round when I became leader of the Labour Party,” she said. “I thought I had found myself on a path that meant I wouldn’t be a mother. Imagine my surprise when a couple of months later, I discovered I was pregnant.”
The challenges Ardern faced as a female leader in the public eye were immense. Her resignation earlier this year, in which she said she no longer had the “energy or inspiration” to continue in the role, triggered a wave of global discussion about the pressures on female leaders. Ardern, like many other women in high-profile positions, faced not only the scrutiny of the public but also frequent abuse and threats. Her decision also highlighted the increasing trend of senior women stepping down due to exhaustion and burnout, with Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, resigning soon after Ardern, citing similar reasons.
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Despite the personal toll of leadership, Ardern used her platform during her valedictory speech to advocate for climate action, one of the many causes she championed during her time in office. “Climate change is a crisis. It is upon us. And so one of the very few things I will ask of this house on my departure is that you please take the politics out of climate change,” she urged her colleagues. “There will always be policy differences, but beneath that, we have what we need to make the progress.”
Although Ardern is stepping back from front-line politics, her work is far from over. She will continue to contribute to global initiatives, including leading New Zealand’s efforts to curb terrorist and violent content online as the Special Envoy for the Christchurch Call, a program she established following the devastating 2019 mosque attacks. She has also joined the board of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, which supports innovative climate solutions and environmental sustainability efforts worldwide.
Ardern’s departure marks the end of an era for New Zealand, but her legacy as a leader who navigated extraordinary crises with grace, compassion, and strength will not be easily forgotten. Through her achievements and her advocacy for women and mothers in leadership, Ardern has left an indelible mark on New Zealand and the world.
