16 Year-Old Aava Murto, Takes Over Finland’s Prime Minister Post, Albeit For A Day
As part of the “Girls Takeover” program, Aava Murto, a 16 year-old-girl is the latest to assume the post of Finnish Prime Minister for one day on Wednesday.
Aava Murto hails from a small village of Vaaksy in southern Finland and she stepped into the shoes of prime minister Sanna Marin, the youngest female PM Finland has ever had.
Murto highlighted the effect of technology on gender equality and mentioned that girls’ access and contribution to technology is significant.
“Girls’ access to technology is a significant, global equality issue that needs to be taken seriously, gender equality ambitions will fall short as long as girls are pushed aside from using and developing technology. Girls, too, have a digital future, and that is why girls should have a voice in technology,”
-Aava Murto
The program also occurred at some Finnish companies where girls were given the chance to get involved in the technology sector. Finland has always been one of the top countries when it comes to women’s right and gender equality.
“Girls Takeover” is part of the United Nation International Day of the Girl that falls on 11 October every year. Declared on 19 Dec 2011, the aim of UN is to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges faced by them worldwide.
The day focuses on the need to address challenges girls face including gender bias when it comes to jobs and empower them with the right to have their voice heard in places like parliament or anywhere that is traditionally male dominated.
Reporter’s Opinions: I applaud this initiative because teens today have the access to important knowledge that can help them become the voice of the future.
Finland has always been breaking barriers in terms of gender equality, holistic education system from young and it’s no wonder that they take this movement seriously.
Hopefully we can have something similar here, maybe not parliament but in sectors like R&D or technology. It’ll be interesting to see.
