Helen Clark

Helen Clark

Helen Clark was the prime minister of New Zealand for three successive terms from 1999 to 2008, after an extensive parliamentary and ministerial career. In April 2009, Clark became administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. She was the first woman to lead the organization and served two terms. In July 2020, she was appointed by the director-general of the World Health Organization as a co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.

Latest Articles

Opinion: The lack of women in global health leadership has a cure

Opinion: The lack of women in global health leadership has a cure

7 months ago // Gender equality

That cure? Structural reforms for gender equity in global health that address organizational culture, fair hiring processes, and a true commitment to gender equity.

Opinion: How we must rethink the future of women’s and children’s health

Opinion: How we must rethink the future of women’s and children’s health

10 months ago // Global Health

Amid aid cuts, to sustain women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health, the global health community must pivot to self-reliance, innovative funding, and global south leadership.

Opinion: Voters should hold leaders accountable for toxic air in 2024

Opinion: Voters should hold leaders accountable for toxic air in 2024

almost 2 years ago // Global health

From Peshawar to Los Angeles, voters will be traveling to the polls in unacceptable levels of air pollution this year.

Opinion: Here we go again … Pandemic preparedness financing

Opinion: Here we go again … Pandemic preparedness financing

over 3 years ago // Global Health

Excluding voices from lower-income countries and civil society could doom the World Bank's new pandemic tool — the Financial Intermediary Fund — from the start.

Opinion: Time to come clean on hand-washing investment

Opinion: Time to come clean on hand-washing investment

about 4 years ago // WASH Works

COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on hand-washing and ways of getting clean water and soap to billions of people who need them. Helen Clark and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf set out the steps we need to take to fix hand hygiene once and for all.

Opinion: It always seems impossible until it's done

Opinion: It always seems impossible until it's done

about 6 years ago // Sustainable Development Goals

Why are CEOs and boards being trained and coached, while government leaders and ministers are generally expected to learn on the job? Simone Filippini of Leadership4SDGs and Helen Clark, former UNDP administrator, share their opinion.