Source: New Zealand Government
Suffrage Day is an opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment to ensuring we continue to be a world leader in gender equality, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says.
“On 19 September, 131 years ago, New Zealand became the first nation in the world where women gained the right to vote. I encourage all New Zealanders to take stock and celebrate this monumental moment in our nation’s history and identity.
“The vision and determination of the movement here was foundational to the global equal rights movement – and we should never forget the significance of that.
“It is also an opportunity to reflect on how we can continue to honour those pioneers. Many of the suffragists were our ancestors – and their legacy is extraordinary.
“Together, our forebears broke down barriers for women in society, fighting for the right to vote and participate in politics through their belief in equal rights, and their belief in the right to self-determination.
“One hundred and thirty-one years on, we are continuing to make progress, but we still have more to do to ensure women and girls have better outcomes.
“Some key areas that the Government is focused on include economic independence, increased representation at all levels of leadership, educational attainment, and better health outcomes.
“Under the previous National Government, the gender pay gap decreased from 12 percent, to 9.7 percent in 2017. Since 2017, it has only moved down to an 8.2 percent gap.
“As Minister for Women, I’m committed to doing my part to help address this. In June, we announced that the Government is working alongside businesses to prioritise the delivery of a gender pay gap calculation tool, which will help ensure women are being paid fairly.
“It’s also pleasing to see the steady increase in women’s representation in leadership. This is across a range of areas including female MPs, councillors, and public sector boards, where women’s representation at the board table now sits at over 50 per cent. We’re also focusing on encouraging the private sector to prioritise getting more women into leadership roles.
“To fill that pipeline though, we need to support women, particularly mums, into the workforce. Initiatives to support working parents include a six percent increase in paid parental leave, and the introduction of the FamilyBoost payment to help families meet the cost of early childhood education.
“Improving health outcomes for women and girls is also a priority. Free breast cancer screening will be extended to women aged 70-74, which will mean around 120,000 more women will be eligible for screening every two years. This is in addition to a $6.3 billion funding boost to Pharmac over the next four years to widen access to important and life-saving medicines.
“We’re also working to improve our education system, through changes to curriculum, building classrooms and securing the teacher pipeline, to ensure our children and young people have the best start that enables them to thrive.
“Today is a day to reflect on those who came before us and fought for our hard-won rights. We must make sure we continue to progress this legacy to continue the fight for gender equality and improving the lives of women in New Zealand.
“New Zealand is a country of tremendous people. We are a country of outstanding talent and big hearts who have historically punched above our weight. I hope that Suffrage Day continues to inspire our nation to keep striving for equality and equity for all of society,” Ms Grigg says.
