Source: New Zealand Government
Minister of Women Jan Tinetti has submitted New Zealand’s latest report to the UN detailing the progress being made to improve outcomes, wellbeing, and equality for women in New Zealand.
“I want to recognise the work people are doing across the country and what they have achieved so far. This is progress that is benefiting women in New Zealand, and our country as a whole,” Jan Tinetti said.
“We have made progress in women’s educational attainment, labour force participation, and support for women to take on paid work, enabled through Te Mahere Whai Mahi Wāhine – the 2022 Women’s Employment Action Plan, along with other great initiatives.
“The Action Plan is the first ever employment action plan for women in New Zealand and has a focus on wāhine Māori, Pacific women, young and older women, disabled women, women who are former refugees and recent migrants, and the Rainbow community.
“It provides a roadmap toward a better future for women’s employment and educational pathways and looks at immediate and long-term actions that are needed to help disadvantaged women.
Among various other programmes, the report notes the work of New Zealand’s first women’s employment action plan and first women’s health strategy, initiated in 2022.
“While we have more work to do together, the progress that we have detailed in the report is heartening. I look forward to the next steps that we are going to take to resolve inequities in this country and make it an even better place to live for everybody.
“In 2023, representation for women on public sector boards and committees is also the highest it’s ever been, with wāhine now making up 53.1 percent of members. Māori and ethnic diversity and representation has also increased steadily since 2019, when data collection for ethnicities on boards began.
“We still have more work to do address inequities,” Tinetti says. “There are women, particularly Māori, Pacific, migrant and pan-ethnic women, women with disabilities, and women from rainbow communities, facing discrimination.”
“This Government is committed to working alongside these communities, and with all women, to develop solutions and provide more opportunities for women, and all people in New Zealand, in all their diversity,” Tinetti said.
The report is available on the Ministry for Women’s website: https://women.govt.nz/library/new-zealands-ninth-periodic-report-cedaw-2023
