Jacinda Ardern to Receive UN Leadership Award

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern is set to receive the Champion for Global Change award from the United Nations Foundation at the upcoming We The Peoples awards ceremony in New York. This recognition highlights her leadership in women's rights, climate change, and peace promotion. However, her tenure faced criticism, particularly regarding her government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with legal challenges raised over lockdown measures and vaccine mandates that were deemed unlawful by New Zealand courts. Critics argue that despite her accolades, including a recent damehood from Prince William, her legacy is contentious. Other award recipients this year include prominent figures such as Amanda Gorman, Angélique Kidjo, and TIME magazine. Since leaving office, Ardern has taken roles such as trustee for Prince William's Earthshot Prize and has been engaged in academic pursuits in the United States.