Helen Clark
Awards & Honours
3
Awards Won
3
Honours
2
Records
Helen Clark's career is marked by historic firsts and a long record of public service. She was the first woman elected as prime minister of New Zealand and the first female Administrator of the UNDP. Her government's creation of Kiwibank and the Superannuation Fund reshaped New Zealand's financial landscape. Her refusal to join the Iraq War in 2003 was a defining act of principle. She has been a tireless advocate for gender equality and sustainable development, and her appointment as Gavi Board chair in 2026 underscores her continued influence in global health.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
Order of New Zealand
New Zealand's highest civilian honour, limited to 20 living members.
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
For her early political service.
Privy Counsellor
Entitled to the style 'Right Honourable'.
Records & Feats
First woman elected as Prime Minister of New Zealand
Elected at the 1999 general election, the first woman to win the office at the ballot box.
First female Administrator of the UNDP
Appointed in 2009, the first woman to lead the UN Development Programme.