Letters by Kiwi women

Today marks International Women’s Day (IWD), with this year’s globally-recognised event calling for a gender-balanced world and accelerating gender parity. The day has been recognised worldwide for over a century but has gained momentum following a ground

‘‘On International Women’s Day, I celebrate progress to date on gender equality but also reflect on how much more remains to be done. On many dimensions, New Zealand is doing well but the level of domestic and family violence remains a significant concern. At the global level, progress is glacial on closing the gaps in political participation and the workforce, with the World Economic Forum estimating it will take 100 years to achieve gender parity overall. Even in this 21st century, young girls in quite a number of countries are forced into early marriage and childbearing; a significant number are also tortured through female genital mutilation. None of us should rest until the serious inequities and injustice many women face around the world are overcome.’’ Helen Clark, former prime minister ‘‘We always hold with some pride that we were the first country in the world to grant women, to have women granted the vote. It was long fought for but I think that means that we probably have that greater weight of expectation that we keep making progress. I’m really proud that we’ve done things like increase paid parental leave, that we’re improving our pay equity legislation, that we’ve increased funding and support around domestic violence in frontline services – but actually, the fact that we still have a pay gap, the fact that we still have violence against women, shows there is a lot more work to do.’’ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ‘‘[For IWD], I get together with women I wouldn’t normally see. We don’t work together so I don’t usually run into them. It is quite good to take a break, to have a yarn over breakfast or lunch with other women. In my lifetime that community of women has in step after step achieved a hell of a lot. They have done it sometimes by stealth, sometimes by storming the battlements, sometimes by knowing when to retreat and hold fast and live to fight another day. I’m not just talking about political women, I’m talking about all women. I’m really looking forward to the next 20 years – there’s plenty of work to be done.‘‘ Dame Gaylene Preston, film-maker ‘‘International Women’s Day is a celebration of what women around the world have managed to achieve. On one hand, we celebrate how women have come so far but there’s also so much more to do. Some of today’s issues are fairly universal, like income inequality. But in New Zealand, our domestic violence statistics are appalling, and we should take the lead in how to address that, and women in particular should have a role in that. We should also use our power in more liberated countries like New Zealand to stand shoulder-toshoulder with women internationally in situations of war and sextrafficking. It behoves us not just to talk but to agitate for action to alleviate suffering for those many millions of women.‘‘ Georgina Beyer, the world’s first transgender mayor and former Labour Party MP ‘‘IWD for me is about acknowledging all the amazing work that women right across the spectrum do, for their countries. It’s not just our businesswomen but it’s our mothers, it’s our aunts, it’s our grandmothers. So for me, the role of all women, especially here in Aotearoa, is one of great significance to the country. It’ll be a day to reflect on all the amazing work so many women do for so many people and to say thank you for that.’’ Louise Nicholas, victims adviser ‘‘IWD is a day that I consciously stop and recognise women’s achievements, no matter how big or small they may be. Gender equality has been pioneered in New Zealand. We instantly think of Kate Sheppard who enabled us to be able to vote, Dame Whina Cooper who aided Maori land rights and living conditions. But I also think of and celebrate the women that have quietly gone about their lives, in smaller communities that have paved the way for others. Grandmothers, mothers, aunties and sisters who have been influential without even realising it. A collective effort, to make a positive difference for women in the balance for better.’’ Fran Scholey, Netball Central chief executive, former Wellington Saints manager and National Basketball League administrator

‘‘ International Women’s Day is an opportunity to reflect on which women matter, because undoubtedly there is a hierarchy. ‘She’s a good woman’ – we’ve all heard that. Presumably there are many who aren’t ‘good’ women. As the United Nations Committee on the Status of Women gears up for its 63rd session next week, I am thinking about social protections that need to be enhanced to cover all women. Sex workers obviously have a long history of being perceived as the ‘bad’ women and in many parts of the world are not beneficiaries of social protections that cover all other women. I am enormously proud to come from a country where these distinctions are less pronounced.’’ Dame Catherine Healy, sex workers’ rights advocate ‘‘IWD reminds me I am part of a global sisterhood of women, all facing a range of system issues because of their gender. It reminds me to be grateful for all the advantages I have as an educated Pa¯keha¯ woman in Aotearoa, and the responsibility I have to use my influence to help others. I think about the fantastic women role models in my life and the world today – the feminists who have worked tirelessly for equality of opportunity and rights. I am reflecting on the many struggles still going on and the part I can play in them.’’ Steph Dyhrberg, employment lawyer and Wellingtonian Of The Year ‘‘I’m a Catholic and it’s a church where women don’t have much say at all, despite the fact they are responsible for all the church and they contribute to half of it. Generally where authority and where structures are concerned they’re usually manmade and that’s fine because I think that men and women are complementary to each other but it’s the men who miss out if women aren’t involved. It’s been all one way and in some ways, men fail to complete themselves when they become the Donald Trumps of the world. I think that we complete each other. My husband Terry and I often say that we are one person called ‘us’. We’re exact opposites and that’s very good. To younger women, I would say, ‘start off by being true to yourself’. Dame Joy Cowley, children’s author ‘‘This is my second IWD as Minister for Women. This year, my partner and I have welcomed the birth of our first child. As a fulltime working mum, I rely on unpaid work by my partner to enable me to do my job. This work has typically been sidelined as ‘women’s work’ but it is time for social attitudes to change. The caring work that has traditionally been done by women needs to be recognised as productive and shared between all genders. I look forward to my child growing up in a world where we have moved past gender stereotypes and where the value of unpaid work is recognised as essential to society.’’ Julie Anne Genter, Minister for Women ‘‘I grew up in a family where my sisters and I were told that women can be anything they want to be when provided with equal opportunities. To this day I firmly believe that and for most of my adult life have supported groups dedicated to empowering women. I hope to be a catalyst for women being inspired to manifest amazing outcomes for themselves and to create meaningful change in the world in the company of other women. Bringing SheEO to New Zealand is one way I am hoping to achieve that. SheEO is a global community of women transforming the way we finance, support and celebrate female entrepreneurs who are creating a better world.’’ Theresa Gattung, philanthropist, and former chief executive of Telecom (now Spark) ‘‘When I think about IWD, it is about recognising the significant achievement of women across the spectrum who have been able to right the wrongs in terms of gender balance. It is also about recognising where there is a gender imbalance and suggesting solutions. I think about how brave the women in hockey and soccer were, where there had been bullying and how brave they were to speak out about it . . . . It also makes me think about my wha¯nau. Being a Ma¯ori mother and grandmother, and the important role we have as significant nurturers.’’ Naomi Shaw, former White Sox captain and New Zealand Sports Hall Of Fame member ‘‘I’m very sceptical about IWD. I think if there is a purpose to it, it needs to be to raise the voices of women who aren’t usually heard, like transgender women. It can’t just be for white, cisgender, straight, middle-class women, it must be for all women. It can’t just be for show. I just don’t know that IWD is terribly useful. What I see happening is that everything is so gendered. Safe spaces need to be genuinely created for all women to achieve true equality.’’ Jackie Clark, The Aunties charity founder ‘‘The fact that we have IWD shows we still have a heck of a long way to go, in terms of equality. The moment we don’t need a day like this, we know we’ve won. New Zealand is passionate about sports and the numbers around women in sport gives us a good snapshot of what’s happening. Female participation is growing but women aren’t represented in management or on boards. About 60 per cent of Wellington’s women sport players are Pasifika but they aren’t seen in management . . . There is still a whole lot of work to be done.’’ Izzy Ford, Porirua deputy mayor, Wellington Rugby Board member and former Black Fern ‘‘Today, for me, is a day to reflect on those who helped us achieve our goals, to celebrate who we are as women and recognise how far we have come. No woman is an island – we all have those around us who support, challenge and advise us. Let us all take time today to let those people know that we are grateful. I grew up with two sisters and ‘girls can do anything’ stickers all over my bedroom. We believed that we could do whatever we wanted, but we were lucky. I know that in previous generations things were different, so I am thankful for the support that was given to me, especially by my mother and father. I wish all women and girls a great IWD and encourage you to explore all opportunities open to you.’’ Jill Day, Wellington deputy mayor ‘‘I’ve always been unapologetic about being a loud voice in the fight against child poverty. For me, IWD is a chance to acknowledge the women who don’t have a voice; the women whose achievements you won’t read about in the paper. In the communities that KidsCan supports, many women are holding their families together on incomes many of us can’t comprehend. We make sure their kids are fed and fuelled for learning – but I often ask mums if they have enough to eat. The answer is often a quiet, heartbreaking ‘no’ . . . Today, let’s celebrate everything they do which we don’t notice enough.’’ Julie Chapman, KidsCan founder ‘‘IWD is, for me, a day of celebration and hope, but tinged with more than a degree of sadness. When I reflect on the position of New Zealand women in 2019 I’m filled with pride and admiration for the amazing women of the past (and present) who’ve committed their lives to create the environment of opportunity many women in this country enjoy today. Sadness sits alongside this though as I think about a great many women who aren’t able to share in these life potentials. We’ve come a long way, a very long way, here in Aotearoa, but have an incredibly long way to go. Many of us now enjoy lives our great grandmothers would have thought inconceivable and my hope is that this same sentiment will hold true in 100 years. Kia kaha wahine ma!’’ Dr Ang Jury, Women’s Refuge chief executive ‘‘IWD is a chance to highlight all women, showcasing their achievements. It’s a time when we can stop and look at progress for women around the globe – both the highlights and issues we still need to work on. This year’s theme about balance for better – understanding that gender balance is good for women, men and all other genders. While discrimination can be more subtle than it once was, gender inequality is revealed in our everyday interactions. We need to change that – it’s conversations about today’s issues which will help shape New Zealand.’’ Vanisa Dhiru, National Council of Women New Zealand president