The images of New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, with her baby daughter, Neve, at the United Nations this week sent out a powerful message about women in leadership roles – and about parents in the workplace.
Just 5% of world leaders are women, and women are still significantly underrepresented in senior roles in business, media and politics. Women working in politics are less likely to have children than their male counterparts, and we know the gender pay gap becomes a gulf after the point at which women have children.
So a prime minister combining leading her country with new motherhood is an incredibly inspiring symbol for many women who are run ragged trying to make it all work – or perhaps contemplating starting a family with real trepidation about the impact on their career.