New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern brought baby Neve and her partner Clarke Gayford with her to a peace summit at the United Nations in New York, and was even photographed kissing Neve in the General Assembly hall.
Ardern is only the second elected leader to give birth while in office, with the first being Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto in 1990. She’s the first elected leader to take maternity leave while in office.
Gayford is Neve’s full-time caregiver, since Ardern is somewhat busy running a country, but it’s great to see the young family attend important meetings together. Given how male-dominated politics and diplomacy are, it’s a great reminder that women are actually capable of working in these male-dominated spheres and caring for their families at the same time.
OK OK OK but here is the best bit though: Baby Neve was even given her own security pass, which read ‘Ms Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford, New Zealand First Baby’ and included a photo of her sleeping. Here it is I am deceased.
Because everyone on twitter's been asking to see Neve's UN id, staff here whipped one up.
I wish I could have captured the startled look on a Japanese delegation inside UN yesterday who walked into a meeting room in the middle of a nappy change.
Great yarn for her 21st. pic.twitter.com/838BI96VYX— Clarke Gayford (@NZClarke) September 24, 2018
As her Dad put it, it’ll be a great story for her 21st – one of the few babies to make an appearance at the United Nations! Paving the way for other babies! Go Neve. And Jacinda and Clarke.
Ardern planting a kiss on Neve’s cheek during a lull in the proceedings.
Gayford minded Neve while Ardern did whatever it is world leaders do when they get together, and while a father looking after his child shouldn’t be a significant detail, it is. It’s significant because we still so rarely see men taking on the role of primary caregivers so their partners can work full-time, whether it’s in politics or any field, really.
Cheers to the Ardern-Gayford family for showing the world how normal motherhood is, and how having children doesn’t have to mean women stop participating in the workforce for the next 18 years. I can’t wait for the day when we don’t have to keep reminding people of this!
(Header photo by Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images)