Helen Elizabeth Clark is a New Zealand politician who served as the 37th prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008, and was the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009 to 2017. She was New Zealand's fifth-longest-serving prime minister, and the second woman to hold that office.Clark was brought up on a farm outside Hamilton. She entered the University of Auckland in 1968 to study politics, and became active in the New Zealand Labour Party. After graduating she lectured in political studies at the university. Clark entered local politics in 1974 in Auckland but was not elected to any position. Following one unsuccessful attempt, she was elected to Parliament in 1981 as the member for Mount Albert, an electorate she represented until 2009.Clark held numerous Cabinet positions in the Fourth Labour Government, including minister of housing, minister of health and minister of conservation. She was the 11th deputy prime minister of New Zealand from 1989 to 1990 serving under prime ministers Geoffrey Palmer and Mike Moore. After Labour's narrow defeat in the 1993 election, Clark challenged Moore for leadership of the party and won, becoming the leader of the Opposition. Following the 1999 election, Labour formed a governing coalition, and Clark was sworn in as prime minister on 10 December 1999.Clark led the Fifth Labour Government, which implemented several major economic initiatives including Kiwibank, the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme and KiwiSaver. Her government also introduced the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004, which caused major controversy. In foreign affairs, Clark sent troops to the Afghanistan War, but did not contribute combat troops to the Iraq War, and ordered a deployment to the 2006 East Timorese crisis. She advocated a number of free-trade agreements with major trading partners, including becoming the first developed nation to sign such an agreement with China. After three successive electoral victories, her government was defeated in the 2008 election; Clark resigned as Prime Minister and party leader on 19 November 2008. She was succeeded as prime minister by John Key of the National Party, and as leader of the Labour Party by Phil Goff.
Clark resigned from Parliament in April 2009 to become the first female head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In 2016, she stood for the position of secretary-general of the United Nations, but was unsuccessful. She left her UNDP administrator post on 19 April 2017 at the end of her second four-year term and was succeeded by Achim Steiner. In 2019, Clark became the patron of The Helen Clark Foundation.
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Some of their strengths
Helen Clark has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Intuitive, Energetic, Passionate, Optimistic, Organized, Confident, and Determined.
Soulful and Understanding
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Helen Clark is someone who is a soulful, understanding, and conscious person, who combines smarts with a deep talent for creativity and imagination. A person who is known for being a good partner.
Adventurous and Free
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Helen Clark well know them as someone who can be talented, wayward and free, like a big river or the ocean.
Independent and Organized
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Helen Clark as someone who is independent, organized, inventive, and generous.
A person who is curious and a loves learning, who seems to always know what to say, who has an optimism that can overcome any difficult situation, and who seems to be able to master almost any skill.
Wise and Deep
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Helen Clark is someone who tends to have an internal innate wisdom, and who people tend to see as an "old soul".
They are also someone who is curious, dynamic, and positive, and who enjoys inspiring and communicating with other people.
Creative and Imaginative
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Helen Clark tends to be someone who is sensitive, imaginative, creative, and somewhat of a dreamer. Who is intuitive and compassionate, and who has a friendly, easygoing, calming and relaxing effect on people and for whom friends and family mean the world.
Some of Helen Clark's challenges
While Helen Clark has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Helen Clark can be Self-centered, Indecisive, Unrealistic, Hypocritical, Difficult, Perfectionist, and Domineering.
Indecisive and Unrealistic
One of Helen Clark's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as indecisive and unrealistic.
Helen Clark must also exercise caution as they can have difficulty dealing with responsibility, authority, or criticism.
Domineering and Impatient
Helen Clark is someone who can be demanding, egotistical, and controlling, can have a lack of judgment regarding personal finances, be argumentative and stubborn, and who can have a tendency to be withdrawn and spend time in self-imposed isolation.
Lethargic and Unrealistic
Finally, Helen Clark also can be too soft, lazy and lethargic, and who can have difficulty finding others who share a similarly dreamy outlook on life.
