New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pregnant with first child

Jacinda ArdernNew Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Friday she was pregnant with her first child prompting an outpouring of support from womens rights groups and labour activists as she declared Ill be a prime minister and a mum Ardern said she planned to work until the end of her pregnancy in June and then take sixweeks leave during which time Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters would run the countrySpeaking to reporters outside her Auckland home Ardern said her partner Clarke Gayford would care for the surprise addition fulltime and that the whole family would travel together when necessary I am not the first woman to work and have a baby I know these are special circumstances but there are many women who have done it well before I have she saidThe popular 37yearold politicians pregnancy is one of the very few examples of an elected leader holding office while pregnant and the first in New Zealands history Pakistans Benazir Bhutto gave birth while she was prime minister in 1990Ardern who came to power through a coalition deal after a closely fought election last year has experienced a meteoric rise to power as New Zealands youngest prime minister in more than a century and its third female leader Arderns rise to power has generated intense interest in her personal life and drew comparisons with other youthful leaders such as Frances Emmanuel Macron and Canadas Justin TrudeauSign of progress in womens rightsArdern was quick to assure the public that she would only take six weeks off during which time she would still be contactable so that the country would run as usual The short period contrasts with her partys parental leave policies with the Labourled coalition expanding paid parental leave from 18 to 22 weeks in one of its first legislative changes That is set to rise again to 26 weeks in 2020Ardern acknowledged that she was lucky that her partner a wellknown television fishing show presenter could take time off to travel with her while he cared for the baby fulltime She had no plans to stop work until June and would fly to London in April to attend a Commonwealth leaders meeting Advocacy groups and politicians from across the political spectrum were quick to offer support Its really inspiringhaving our prime minister lead by example is a great sign of how far weve come in womens industrial rights in New Zealand said Council of Trade Unions President Richard Wagstaff in an emailed statement to ReutersNew Zealand has long held a progressive reputation having been the first country to give women the right to vote in 1893 Its amazing timing125 years later we have a prime minister whos going to give birth in office said Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter Ardern revealed on Friday that she had unexpectedly found out she was pregnant on Oct 13 just six days before she was propelled into the countrys top job when New Zealand First Party leader Peters announced he was siding with Labour in postelection negotiations When asked by a reporter how she had managed putting together a government while suffering from morning sickness she replied its just what ladies doCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news current affairs from Mumbai local news crime news and breaking headlines hereDownload the new midday Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go