Among the achievements during her period of office were the first U.N. International Womens Year and its related world conference in 1974-75. Later she was appointed Chairperson of the Finnish association of the U.N. Development Fund.
Helvi Sipilä began her career as a lawyer in the 1940’s. In 1982, she was also the first women to stand as a presidential candidate in Finland.
Throughout her career, Helvi Sipilä was a promoter of womens rights, which she felt had been ignored in many societies and constituted a great setback to development.
Helvi Sipilä received numerous honours including a total of twelve doctorates in universities and other institutes of higher education. She was granted the title of Minister in 2001.