Helvi Sipilä Reception Area

Born into a family of farmers, Helvi Sipilä (1915-2009) was one of the first women to practise as a lawyer in Finland. In 1972, she became the first woman to hold the rank of Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, where she headed the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs and, in 1975, organised the First World Conference on Women. She played a major role in the decision of the United Nations to celebrate International Women’s Year and create the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). A director of several civil society organisations, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Zonta International and the International Council of Women, she was also the first female candidate for the Finnish presidential election, in 1982. In 2001, the President of the Republic of Finland granted her the honorary title of Minister. She remains an iconic figure in the fight for gender equality, both internationally and in her home country.