Source: New Zealand Government
The 132nd anniversary of Suffrage Day is a tribute to all those who have contributed to New Zealand’s progress for women and girls, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says.
“New Zealand can be very proud of what we have achieved, and we should all celebrate and honour the suffrage legacy, 132 years since New Zealand became the first nation where women gained the right to vote.
“This Government is proud to be driving real outcomes for women and girls in New Zealand.
“In the last 12 months, New Zealand’s gender pay gap has decreased from 8.2 percent to 5.2 percent – the lowest it has been since reporting began in 1998.
“Last year I launched the first ever government-backed gender pay gap calculation toolkit to support business to address their gender pay gaps. We continue to have strong engagement from the business community as we develop the second iteration of resources.
“Women’s representation on public sector boards remains strong at above 50 percent for the fifth year in a row, and women continue to be well-represented in Board chair positions at 44.5 percent.
“In May I launched the new Free to Lead toolkit to support women and their employers tackle the impact of online harm and support women to engage online with confidence.
“Improving health outcomes for women and girls is also a priority. Recent Government initiatives to support women’s health include extending free breast screening to women aged 70-74, funding of $4.9 million to ensure women and their families have better access to mental health support in under-served regions, and funding to grow the rural health workforce, including frontline rural mental wellbeing services.
“I’m spending Suffrage Day in Christchurch – the heart of the suffrage movement – attending events that reflected on how far we’ve come, and what we have yet to do to achieve true equality.
“I want all women to have equal choice and equal opportunities across all areas of life. This Suffrage Day I say thank you to all women and girls for your many contributions that make New Zealand a better place.”
