Baby Neve in United Nations and the dawn of new-age politics

The presence of Baby Neve - New Zealand’s first child - in the United Nations is the harbinger of new-age politics.

At first, there was a temptation to call baby-Neve’s presence in UN as hitting upon political and diplomatic gold for New Zealand.

However, on a deeper appreciation of the event, that temptation had given way to calling it as a harbinger of a new-age politics. Obviously, New Zealand being the torchbearer of a new-age politics, it's international appeal would automatically be getting a boost. 

And the new age politics that we are talking about is not necessarily same as, though not radically different, from the New Age Politics that Mark Satin – the American political theorist and author – had proposed in the mid-1970s. 

While the activists of the New Age Politics have been motivated by new age concepts like holism, interconnectedness, monism, feminism, and environmentalism, their political ideas are at best beyond everything traditional.

And there is nothing more traditional than the big-white-old men, holding the positions of power in politics and government close to their chests, and boasting in Trumpisque style.

To that end, women holding senior positions in governance were always seen as a welcome departure from the - traditional.

However, there has nothing been as exciting as the sighting of baby Neve sitting on the lap of her father while mum was articulating New Zealand’s vision on the key global issues.

Notably, the scenes of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern along with her baby have widely attracted world media attention – a political and diplomatic gold for the country, boosting its international appeal.

The sighting of baby Neve in UN has been received as previously unseen sign of progressiveness and new-age politics where women can lead the country amidst changing nappies and breastfeeding – a task that has long been considered limiting women’s potential to do mundane jobs – leave aside the task of leading the country on global stage.

Refreshingly this event has gripped the world's media which has splashed headlines like "UNderage" and declaring the baby "premieres among world leaders".

One of the earliest noting that repeatedly found mentioned across global media was by a former American diplomat Samantha Power who tweeted, “I cannot stress how much the @UN - and the governments that comprise it - need this.”

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told media, "Prime Minister Ardern is showing that no-one is better qualified to represent her country than a working mother. Just five per cent of the world's leaders are women, so we need to make them as welcome here as possible."

However, probably the most telling comment came from our own neighbourhood – as if only the South Pacific region is the new global window for fresh ideas and progressiveness – Prime Minister of Fiji.

PM Frank Bainimarama tweeted, “Thank you, New Zealand PM @jacindaardern, for bringing your baby girl along to the @UN General Assembly this week. Having little Neve in the room is a humbling reminder that the world's leaders must act not for ourselves, but for the future of our children and our planet.”

Apparently, no one will mind if a new fresh air of thinking is unleashing on the world from the seemingly one of the remote regions of the world – South Pacific.

A befitting reflection on the #getNZonthemap Tourism NZ social media campaign, which featured Ms Ardern and Kiwi comedian Rhys Darby poking fun at New Zealand being missing from some world maps.

At least, for now, New Zealand seems to have arrived on the world map courtesy Baby Neve.