Sophie Bateman* says Hilary Clinton believes New Zealand’s Prime Minister proves that female leaders govern differently from men.
Hillary Clinton (pictured) believes the world would be different if it were led by women, and has singled out New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern as an example.
While speaking at the 10th annual Women in the World summit in New York City, the former US Secretary of State was asked if she thinks female leaders govern differently to men.
“Of course!” she responded to laughter and applause from the audience.
Clinton notoriously lost the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump despite winning more votes than him.
“Let’s take the example of the horrific terrorist attack in New Zealand, and the response of the Prime Minister,” she continued.
“I had a chance to meet with her about a year ago while she was very pregnant, and we talked about all sorts of things — having a baby when you’re in a public position, how you balance all of that.”
Clinton visited New Zealand in May 2018, during which time she had a conversation with Ardern in which they discussed “the things you talk about with your friends”.
“She showed the heart not only of a leader, but of a mother.”
She praised Ardern’s reaction to the Christchurch mosque shootings, which involved meeting with victims’ families while wearing a hijab and refusing to use the gunman’s name.
“Her reaching out to the Muslim community in New Zealand sent a message about how leaders should behave in the face of horrific violence conducted for ideological reasons,” Clinton said.
“I think that was as strong a signal as we could get that, given the chance, many women will govern and lead differently.”
Clinton’s comments come in the wake of US President Trump launching an attack against Ilhan Omar, who became one of the first Muslim women elected to the US Congress in November 2018.
Trump posted a video to Twitter which included footage of Omar cut with videos of the 11 September terror attacks that many have called dangerously Islamophobic.
Earlier at the Women in the World summit, Oprah Winfrey lauded Ardern’s leadership and urged women to “channel our own inner Jacindas”.
* Sophie Bateman is a digital producer for Newshub in Auckland. She tweets at @sophieibateman.
This article first appeared at www.newshub.co.nz.
