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Women in Aotearoa

Women have made their mark in Aotearoa through sports, the boardroom, politics and also as academics, writers, leaders and artists. Research how feminist movements fought for voting rights, equal pay and gender equality. SCIS no. 1809162

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Dame Cindy Kiro sworn in as New Zealand's first wahine Māori Governor-General

Dame Cindy Kiro sworn in as New Zealand's first wahine Māori Governor-General

A special ceremony is being held at Parliament House.

UN Women is the UN organization delivering programmes, policies and standards that uphold women’s human rights and ensure that every woman and girl lives up to her full potential.

A poem for Whina Cooper

A poem for Whina Cooper

Dame Whina Cooper inspired the famous 1975 march through the Ngāpuhi area to Wellington, to protest against the loss of the tribe’s lands. Hone Tuwhare’s poem (below) captures Whina’s spirit and th...

Our Wāhine is an illustrated history of New Zealand’s extraordinary women created by New Zealand artist Kate Hursthouse.

Māori Women's Welfare League established

Eighty-seven delegates attended the first day of the inaugural conference of the Māori Women’s Welfare League in Wellington. Dame Whina Cooper was appointed as president.

Ministry for Women

The Ministry for Women, the Government’s principal advisor on achieving better results for women.

Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora = Maori Women's Welfare League Inc.

Website of MWWL. Includes membership information, a range of products available for purchase, news and national conference information.

Two Women's Army Auxiliary Corps officers

Two Women's Army Auxiliary Corps officers

Many Dominion members have become officers. Pictured are Subaltern Thompson, NZ (left) and 2 Sub Garigue (Aus) during World War II. Taken between 1940 and 1945 by an official photographer. Quantit...

Women teaching preschoolers Māori language

Women teaching preschoolers Māori language

Māori women have been the backbone of kōhanga reo (language 'nurseries' where pre-schoolers were immersed in the language) since the first opened in 1982. By July 2000 there were a total of 11,519...

Pay equity protest

Pay equity protest

Although New Zealand was the first country to give women the vote, women are still fighting for equal rights, especially in the area of pay equity. Pay equity refers to people being paid the same a...

Mabel Voss and her Morris Cowley, 1929

Mabel Voss and her Morris Cowley, 1929

On April 8 1915 the first fifty New Zealand Army Nursing Service (NZANS) nurses to serve in the First World War sailed from Wellington. To celebrate the event we are highlighting some other records...

Dame Patsy Reddy sworn in as Governor General

Dame Patsy Reddy sworn in as Governor General

Dame Patsy Reddy was sworn in as New Zealand's 21st Govenor General at a formal ceremony at Parliament today.

Māori Women's Welfare League minutes

Māori Women's Welfare League minutes

The 1945 Māori Social and Economic Advancement Act gave statutory recognition to a ‘self-help’ process for solving Māori problems. This Act eventually led to the establishment of The Māori Women’s ...

Women’s health: Māori women’s health activism

Māori women have organised to improve their health status and, as part of that, have challenged understandings of what health means. Māori health activism has been shaped by a concern that colonisa...

Made in New Zealand - Margaret Mahy

Made in New Zealand - Margaret Mahy

Made in New Zealand is a documentary about acclaimed New Zealand children and young adults writer Margaret Mahy. The 20 minute film takes a line from her award-winning novel The Changeover — "made ...

Break the bias: Women in the community

Showcases 10 outstanding women leaders in our communities.

Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow

The United Nation's theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2022 (IWD 2022) recognises the contribution and leadership of women and girls around the world.

Storybook app: Turikatuku — Te wahine taki wairua

This interactive bilingual app tells the story of the heroic war strategist Turikatuku, wife of Hongi Hika and chieftainess of the families of Hikutu, of Ngāti Rēhia of Ngāpuhi.

Māori language course petition

Māori language course petition

Wellington Girls college pupils hold a petition calling for a Māori language course to be taught at the College.

Women telephonists

Women telephonists

The first female telephonists were appointed in 1881. Although women were paid less than men, the work was sought after – in 1893 there were 484 applications for 79 jobs. Women who had to depend ‘o...

Māori women

Studio portrait of three Māori woman taken by Frank J Denton in 1908. Standing in the centre is Takotoroa Marunui (nee Jury), daughter of Hoani ‘Te Whatahoro’ Jury and Keriana (nee Potae). On left ...

Summer fashions

Summer fashions

Article about a spring and summer fashion parade from 1959.

Wāhine o te Pāremata Women of Parliament

From the suffrage movement to today, we explore the stories of women in NZ Parliament in our new short documentary film.

Women working in a factory during World War 2

Women working in a factory during World War 2

Unidentified women working in a (munitions?) factory during World War 2. Location unidentified. Photograph possibly taken by John Pascoe. Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical ...

Maud Basham

Maud Basham, also known as Aunt Daisy, was famous as the host of a radio show focused on domesticity

Prime Minister Helen Clark: breaking the glass ceiling

Prime Minister Helen Clark: breaking the glass ceiling

During part of Helen Clark's term as prime minister, women also occupied the top public posts of leader of the opposition (Jenny Shipley) and chief justice (Sian Elias). As a result, some commentat...

Politician Chlöe Swarbrick challenges the boomer generation

New Zealand’s youngest Member of Parliament, Chlöe Swarbrick speaks honestly and frankly about being in politics, and issues like mental health and legalising marijuana.

Women surf lifesavers

Women surf lifesavers

Women surf lifesavers. Group portrait. Individuals, and group, unidentified. Shows women, and a man. The women wear bathing suits. Photograph taken in 1912 by Steffano Webb of Christchurch. Sourc...

150 Women in 150 Words

The Royal Society Te Apārangi celebrates women’s contributions to expanding knowledge in New Zealand.

Abortion

The topic of abortion is a controversial one. Some groups in society believe it is acceptable while others, especially some religious groups, disapprove. Abortion is legal in New Zealand. However, ...

Personal grooming: women’s hair

How a woman wears her hair reveals much about the society in which she lives.

Bread & Roses

Made to mark 100 years of women's suffrage in New Zealand, Bread & Rosestells the story of the pioneering trade unionist, politician and feminist Sonja Davies.

Journey through an audio-visual multi-media series and meet 100 indigenous women doing things differently.

Women and the vote

A history of the movement that won New Zealand women the vote in 1893

Janet Frame

A collection of articles, images and audio clips about famous writer, Janet Frame.

Hinetitama by Robyn Kahukiwa

Hinetitama by Robyn Kahukiwa

Hinetitama by Robyn Kahukiwa

First free period products delivered to schools in scheme tackling period poverty

The first tampons and pads have been delivered to schools after the Government committed $25 million to combating period poverty.

Five Māori painters at Auckland Art Gallery

Five Māori painters at Auckland Art Gallery

Explore the works of Kura Te Waru Rewiri, Robyn Kahukiwa, Emily Karaka, Saffronn Te Ratana and Star Gossage.

Māori women with kūmara

Māori women with kūmara

Ngāwini (left) and Ngahuia Hetaraka are filling their kete with kūmara (sweet potato) tubers, in Awanui, Northland.

anti-nuclear protest badge, 'WOMEN ARE DISARMING THE WORLD' button badge; white lettering on purple ground: WOMEN ARE / DISARMING / THE WORLD!"; safety pin fastening

Women voting

Original caption reads: "Women vote at their first election, Tahakopa". Shows a horse drawn carriage, and an unidentified group of men and women standing by the entrance to a building. Taken in 189...

United Women's convention

United Women's convention

In the 1970s there were four women’s conferences held in New Zealand. This one was held in Wellington, in 1975 and focused on feminist issues of the day—challenging and changing female stereotypes ...

Rape

Cartoon from the magazine Broadsheet, which actively advocated and reported on women’s rights and issues.

Women of Influence alumni

The Women of Influence Awards celebrate Kiwi women from all walks of life who are making Aotearoa a better place.

Unidentified models wearing Women's Land Service uniforms

Unidentified models wearing Women's Land Service uniforms

These two women posing for a photograph represented some of the 230,000 women who by the end of 1943 were ‘man powering’ New Zealand. Man powering was a word frequently used during World War Two. T...

Contraceptive supplies

Contraceptive supplies

It would be fair to say that one of the more important but often overlooked events in the 1960s was the introduction of the oral contraceptive pill in 1961. For married (and later unmarried) women ...

Social security certificate

Social security certificate

Images of a Social Security Certificate from 1939.

Women's cricket England v N.Z.

Women's cricket England v N.Z.

In spite of obstacles, many New Zealand women were keen participants in organised sport well before the turn of the 20th Century. Frowned on as unfeminine and hampered by their clothes, they also h...

Baby record by Plunket Society

Baby record by Plunket Society

In 1917 statistics for the death of infants under one year were 1,360 from an overall total of 10,528. The Plunket Society was established by Sir Truby King with the aim of improving such statistic...

Kei roto i ō tātou toto – It's in our blood

A journey that a woman takes from a young age leading into how she’s going to get her moko and finding her identity.

Gender inequalities: Politics and citizenship

In 150 years, women in New Zealand moved from political insignificance to a position of legal equality with men. In the mid-19th century, women could not vote, stand for election, serve on a jury, ...

Article about Kate Sheppard.

Katherine Mansfield

Article about Katherine Mansfield.

The gender pay gap is a high level indicator of the difference between women and men’s earnings.

Porgi Amor by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Performance by famous New Zealand opera singer, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

Women in the archives

A series of historical images depicting New Zealand women.

New jobs plan for women coming to fix lasting damage of Covid-19 recession

Women lost 90% of the jobs that disappeared right after the Covid-19 lockdown. A year later, the government is writing up a plan to make sure the ‘shecession’ doesn’t happen again.

National Council of Women of New Zealand

National Council of Women of New Zealand work to promote gender equality in New Zealand.

Video about Jean Batten, New Zealand's greatest aviator.

Article about sexual health pioneer, Ettie Rout.

Pasifika, Māori women taking up tools to join trades industry

Pasifika, Māori women taking up tools to join trades industry

The trades industry is getting a shake up thanks to a new project working to get more Pasifika and Māori women to pick up the tools. Last year just one in 40 new trades apprentices were women, now...

Growing up Kiwi: Sophie's story of a New Zealand childhood

What's it like growing up as a Kiwi girl in 2016?

Christchurch Girls' High School's sexual harassment survey results: More than 20 students say they have been raped

More than a quarter of Christchurch Girls' High School students say they've been sexually harassed more than 10 times - and more than 20 students say they have been raped.

Women in police

Overview of 75 years of women in the police.

Presents a range of New Zealand related infographics associated with Women in Aotearoa.

In Gaylene Preston's moving documentary, seven elderly women recall their personal experiences of World War 2.

Maid with jug

There was a huge demand for domestic help in 19th Century New Zealand. Single women who emigrated here were usually employed as servants. They often found that they had to work twice as hard as tho...

Bicycles in New Plymouth

Bicycles in New Plymouth

The bicycle has meant freedom to many people in different times and places – never more so than to the New Zealand women who took up cycling with such enthusiasm in the 1890s. Let’s hope that these...

School Journal illustrations

School Journal illustrations

Juliet Peter was an official illustrator for School Publications from 1947 until 1952 when she left to further her studies in London. She was part of the New Zealand modernist art scene, a style th...

Princess Te Kirihaehae Te Puea Herangi

Princess Te Kirihaehae Te Puea Herangi

This photograph of Princess Te Kirihaehae Te Puea Herangi (or Princess Te Puea as she was more commonly known) shows her wearing the medal she received in 1938, the Commander of the British Empire ...

Occupation book by Mary Hitchcock

Occupation book by Mary Hitchcock

Mary Hitchcock was a trainee teacher when she made this book around 1908. It held examples of her art and craft work such as paper cutting, sewing and beadwork. It also held her notes on teaching h...

Slutwalk protest

Slutwalk protest

Slutwalk marches first began in Canada in 2011. They were initially a protest against a quote by a Toronto police officer who suggested that to avoid being victims of rape, "women should avoid dres...

Shop window display

Shop window display

We do not know how many unemployed New Zealand women there were in the 1930s Great Depression, because official statistics were only kept for men. Single unemployed women were mostly expected to se...

Scene outside a house

Scene outside a house

For many last century the good old days weren't particularly good. Unpaid and overworked, many women at home struggled in substandard living conditions (by today’s standards) to raise, clothe and f...

Mangawhai Women’s Festival 1987

Follows the three-day celebration of women’s culture that was the 1987 Mangawhai Women’s Festival.

From civil death to separate property

Changes in the legal rights of married women in nineteenth-century New Zealand.

Joan Wiffen found the first dinosaur fossils in New Zealand and rewrote the way we understand the country’s past.

The Women’s Suffrage Petition

Use resources and activities from He Tohu to learn about this landmark event in New Zealand’s history.

2017 Women’s March

View (or print) the curiosity card about the 2017 Women's March. Use the card’s fertile questions to inspire inquiry. Follow the link for more resources to help with teaching and learning.

Carmen's new passport

Carmen Rupe, or simply ‘Carmen’ was a New Zealand-Australian drag performer, brothel keeper, activist, political candidate, and HIV/AIDS activist.

Ngatu: Keeping the tradition alive

Megan and Lita, from the Tongan community draw mothers, grandmothers and girls together to learn how to make ngatu (tapa cloth).

A small footprint - a big impression. School Journal: Year 6 Part 04 No. 01: 2009

New Zealand author Elsie Locke was also a campaigner for women's rights, social justice, peace, and the environment.

The story of Suzanne Aubert

A story about a radical nun who became a symbol of political commitment and caring for others. Find this book and others on famous New Zealand women in the New Zealand History Collection, availabl...

New Zealand women

Statistics related to women in New Zealand.

A sporting chance

Helen Clark tells the International Working Group on Women and Sport that we need to stop the excuse that we can't find women to appoint to senior roles in the sports sector.

Exploring 125 years of women's suffrage in New Zealand, and the challenges that women face in a society where the rules continue to shift.

Conversations: Lifting our voices

Conversations – a six-part web series featuring inspired Māori and Pasifika women.

Workers celebrate historic $2 billion pay equity settlement

Jenny Stuart, a home support worker in South Canterbury and Marianne Bishop an aged care worker in Wellington react to the historic $2 billion pay equity settlement.

FLAPPERS (Wanganui Chronicle, 02 April 1919)

Learn more about women in New Zealand from EPIC. Databases recommended: New Zealand Geographic Online, New Zealand History Collection (BWB), and Women's Studies Collective (BWB). School login maybe...

Jacinda Ardern receives Gleitsman International Activist Award, opens up about sexism, impostor syndrome

Ardern took part in a virtual ceremony from her Beehive office where her leadership, particularly in response to the Covid-19 crisis and the March 15 terror attack, was honoured.

Benee and her Mum

Benee and her Mum

From her home in Auckland Stella Bennett, better known as musician Benee has been able to grow her pop career despite this year's disruptive pandemic. The 20 year old singer/songwriter was meant to...

Black Fern reveals struggle to stay in the game

Black Fern Chelsea Alley has revealed the extent of her struggles as a women in rugby in an emotional social media post.

Lisa Carrington's golden success: 'It's just trying to be better than I was the day before'

Lisa Carrington's golden success: 'It's just trying to be better than I was the day before'

Kayak Sprint champion Lisa Carrington has just become the most successful and decorated Olympian in New Zealand's history. She joins us from Tokyo to discuss how she feels about her new title and w...

Tokyo Olympics: Black Ferns captain on gold win

Tokyo Olympics: Black Ferns captain on gold win

The victorious Black Ferns Sevens are due back home this morning with gold medals in hand. The team beat France in the final to win 26-12 at the Tokyo Olympics. But it's not just their stunning g...

Standing on the Shoulders

To honour the Suffragists on the 125th anniversary of winning the vote, this exhibition celebrates many of our most illustrious, revolutionary, courageous, inspirational, empowering, luminous, inno...

Rutu by Rita Angus

Rutu by Rita Angus

Rutu painting by Rita Angus

Measurement and data

The metric system and measurement of mass, volume, length, time and area.

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