Jacinda Ardern is showing politicians how to lead during a crisis
As a citizen of any country, the dream is to have a leader who does everything in their power to make sure their country’s people feel heard, informed, and safe. And if they can avoid all the typical political buzzwords and jargon, then that’s an added bonus. During the coronavirus, political Read More...
New Zealand PM appoints first female Indigenous foreign minister
After being re-elected in a landslide victory last month, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern continues to make positive progressive change in the country. Yesterday, she appointed Nanaia Mahuta as the country’s first indigenous female foreign minister. Nanaia Mahuta is Māori and Read More...
New Zealand passes historic bill to ensure pay equity between men and women
In 2017, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern promised to fix legislation aimed at addressing historic inequalities in pay for women. Following up on her promise, the country’s parliament has unanimously passed an Equal Pay Amendment Bill that ensures workers are not paid less because Read More...
Period poverty: New Zealand to provide free sanitary products to schools
Period poverty is a term that describes where girls or women are unable to afford or access sufficient menstrual hygiene products. It is often seen as a problem confined to developing countries, but several studies have exposed that period poverty impacts millions of people in the world's Read More...
The case for shifting to a four-day workweek for post-pandemic life
At The Optimist Daily, we’re putting a lot of focus on what the world can do after the pandemic to create a healthier, more sustainable, and more inclusive society. In New Zealand, one idea that was suggested by prime minister Jacinda Ardern is starting to gain a lot of traction: shifting to a Read More...
COVID-19 has been eliminated in New Zealand as country eases restrictions
It was just a couple of days ago that we published a story in praise of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Guiding a country through a pandemic is a high-stress task for any political leader, but Ardern has shown the world how to stay calm with her clear, personable style of leading, which Read More...
NZ Prime Minister assures children Easter Bunny is an essential worker
Amidst the anxiety and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is assuring children across the country that the Easter Bunny is an essential worker and will be able to continue egg distribution on schedule this Sunday. The response came after reports Read More...