Newsletter Newsletters Events Events Podcasts Videos Africanews
Loader
Advertisement

Finnish teenager becomes president for a day

Finnish 16-year-old Nella Salminen (L), President Sauli Niinisto (C) and MP Eva Biaudet stand at the Presidential Residence Mantyniemi in Helsinki, Finland, on October 6, 2021
Finnish 16-year-old Nella Salminen (L), President Sauli Niinisto (C) and MP Eva Biaudet stand at the Presidential Residence Mantyniemi in Helsinki, Finland, on October 6, 2021 Copyright  ANTTI AIMO-KOIVISTO / LEHTIKUVA / AFP
Copyright ANTTI AIMO-KOIVISTO / LEHTIKUVA / AFP
By Josephine Joly with AFP
Published on
Share Comments
Share Close Button
Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Copy to clipboard Copied

16-year-old Nella Salminen stepped into the shoes of Finnish President Sauli Niinistö as part of a campaign to promote girls' rights in politics and business.

Sixteen-year-old Nella Salminen stepped into the shoes of Finnish President Sauli Niinistö for a day on Wednesday.

Salminen took the helm of the nordic country as part of the #GirlsTakeover charity-sponsored global campaign to promote girls' rights in politics and business by Plan International.

She spent her time next to the real Nordic president meeting politicians and addressing a climate action conference.

"This whole day is like the best thing I've experienced in a long time," Salminen said. The teenager added that girls' potential should be better recognised and that they should be involved more in policymaking.

"It is not fair that decisions that influence me a lot have been made by decision-makers without asking my generation's opinion."

Nella also discussed the impact on gender of online misinformation with Niinistö, as part of this year's girls' takeover campaign. "Misinformation and disinformation on the internet have grown and grown, and it's really hard to find the correct information."

Finland's government is headed by Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who became the world's youngest holder of the office in 2019 when she took power aged 34, leading a coalition of five centre-left parties who were all led by women.

Go to accessibility shortcuts
Share Comments

Read more

UN agency reports rise in violence against women journalists and activists linked to online abuse

Thousands march in Brazil to raise attention to femicides

Istanbul rally urges Turkey to rejoin treaty against violence on women