I was born a girl
Leader of humans
Leader of humans,
by leading oneself.
By encountering one's own humanity.
From the love of all living life.
Regardless of gender, sexual orientation,
race, nationality, culture, religion, age.
Without looking at education, titles, external success,
that man-made external prestige.
Leader of humans.
One who, by lifting others, lifts themself.
One who sees a person in every person, always equal.
Human dignity of immeasurable value.
One who, as a leader of humans, sows
the seeds of equality in the nutrient-rich soil.
Seeds that, when germinated, begin to produce growth,
to flower, to produce a harvest.
Seeds suitable for having any soil as their seedbed,
regardless of the hemisphere.
Seeds that only need a leader of humans
to enable their growth.
To take care of the sowing.
To preserve the ripe fruit.
Because a good harvest enables life force and its continuation.
To be a leader of humans, by leading oneself.
As equal to oneself.
As an equal nutrient-rich soil for women and men.
Equality as the seed of world peace.
As caretakers of sowing and growing world peace.
Minna Pietarinen
2023
Tarja Halonen
The right to political participation and decision-making
"My own start in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was perhaps not made any easier by the fact that Finland had just got its first female foreign minister, who was also left-wing and known as a fairly radical feminist. Breaking glass ceilings can show personal courage, but only gaining followers changes society," President Tarja Halonen stated in an interview with UN Women Finland in September 2021.
Tarja Halonen is Finland's first female president, foreign minister, justice minister and the first female lawyer of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions - a real glass ceiling breaker! Halonen served as the President of Finland in 2000–2012.
With her exemplary work, Halonen has promoted women's rights, sexual rights and the rights of minorities. Halonen has played a significant role in the development of Finnish civil society since the 1970s, and she has acted as a chairwoman, employee and active member of many non-governmental organizations.
Halonen's presidency was a significant step in the development of gender equality in Finland, because as the first female president, she gave Finnish girls a new example of women's opportunities. With her own example, Halonen wants to strengthen the belief of the younger generation in particular that it is possible to bring about changes.
Equal participation of the sexes in politics and decision-making is a prerequisite for sustainable development and a just future. Also, sustainable peace cannot be built without the equal participation of women.
"Is it true what the girls said at school, that boys can no longer become presidents?" asked a little boy in a letter to President Halonen. Yes, boys can still become president - but with Halonen's presidency, little girls also know that so can they.
Promoting women's political participation is one of the priorities of UN Women's work. According to UN Women, at the current rate, it will take up to 130 years before gender equality is achieved in the highest positions of political decision-making. UN Women works with local actors around the world to promote women's opportunities to participate in decision-making at all levels of society.
UN Women is the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting the needs of women and girls worldwide. UN Women Finland is the Finnish National Committee of UN Women. The accompanying texts telling the stories of the women in the paintings and the rights that are depicted were written by Emma Winiecki, Head of Communications for UN Women Finland.
