PART 3: Performance against output plan

2007/08 Output Objectives

2007/08 Achievements

Chair and co-ordinate the Chief Executive Steering Group.

The Chief Executive Steering Group met with input from the agencies represented.

Members were updated on progress against the Action Plan and development of the outcomes indicators for the monitoring framework, and forthcoming publication.

In conjunction with relevant agencies, maintain the monitoring framework and further develop indicators for the Action Plan, and track progress across the Action Plan outcomes.

The Ministry drafted a publication showing progress on the high-level outcomes in the Action Plan. This included developing indicators across the three areas of the Action Plan.

Work within the public sector to support programmes that progress the outcomes set out in the Action Plan.

 Achieved.

Highlights for 2007/08

• Completing the development of and drafting monitoring indicators for the Action Plan.
• Drafting a publication of monitoring indicators for the Action Plan to track progress across the Action Plan outcomes.
  

2007/08 Output Objectives

2007/08 Achievements

Contribute to policy advice on a range of measures to enhance work choices for parents and other carers, including options to boost paid parental leave.

The Ministry provided input into a range of cross-agency work to support choices for parents and other carers.

The Ministry contributed to the development of a government discussion document on income splitting prepared by the Inland Revenue Department.

Provide policy advice on reducing occupational segregation, including young people’s decision-making on careers and women’s representation in industry training and modern apprenticeships.

The Ministry completed a research report on the influence of gender on young people’s decision-making on careers.

The Ministry commissioned research on the economic impacts of occupational segregation.

The Ministry began work on advice on women’s representation in trades.

Contribute to ongoing policy advice on improving pay and employment equity for women.

The Ministry contributed to work led by the Department of Labour on the Pay and Employment Equity Plan of Action.                     

Quarterly updates were provided to the Minister on employment outcomes, including labour force participation and unemployment rates.

Contribute to reviews led by the Ministry of Social Development on the provision of social assistance.

The Ministry participated in an ongoing cross-agency working group on income support.

The Ministry also provided input to cross-agency work on income and support services in relation to outcomes for women.

Monitor the implications of retirement income policies for women, in conjunction with the Ministry of Social Development, the Treasury and the Retirement Commissioner.

The Ministry contributed to ongoing cross-agency work in relation to retirement income policies for women. This included contributing to the government response to the Retirement Commissioner’s 2007 Review of Retirement Income Policy.                     

Contribute to initiatives that enhance opportunities for women to participate in decision-making and leadership roles.

The Ministry initiated relationships with business organisations to identify shared interests in relation to women and employment.

The Ministry also commissioned a data collection project exploring connections between women in leadership positions and corporate performance.

Highlights for 2007/08

• Completing research on the influence of gender on young people’s decision-making about careers.
  
• Commissioning research on the economic impacts of occupational segregation.
  

2007/08 Output Objectives

2007/08 Achievements

Contribute to the Work-life Balance project undertaken by the Department of Labour.

The Ministry monitored the progress of the Work-Life Balance project, led by the Department of Labour.

Provide policy advice on options to improve access to high-quality, affordable childcare, including out of school services.

The Ministry participated in cross-agency work led by the Ministry of Social Development on the five-year Action Plan for Out of School Services.

Monitor the development and use of time use survey satellite accounts relating to the non‑profit, voluntary and community sectors.

The Ministry monitored the development of the Time Use Survey 2008/09 and satellite accounts on the non-profit and household sectors.

Highlight for 2007/08

• Contributing to the development of the five-year Action Plan for Out of School Services.
  

2007/08 Output Objectives

2007/08 Achievements

Provide policy advice on strategies to reduce the incidence and impact of domestic violence against women, including possible legislative amendments.

The Ministry continued to contribute to the work of the cross-agency Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families. As part of this work, the Ministry led a project to investigate the introduction of advocates in courts for victims of family violence.

The Ministry continued to provide high-quality advice and contributed to policy development on domestic violence, including the review of the Domestic Violence Act 1995 and the review of the Victims of Domestic Violence residence policy.

The Ministry released the University of Waikato report Living at the Cutting Edge: Women’s Experiences of Protection Orders, in August 2007. Recommendations from this report have been taken up by the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families.

The Ministry contributed to the work of the Taskforce for Action on Sexual Violence, including working with the Ministry of Justice to develop an outcomes framework, and to explore the link between sexual violence, alcohol and drugs.

Establish a research programme to review government and other agencies’ responsiveness to victims of sexual violence.

The Ministry established the Sexual Violence Research Unit in July 2007 to scope and oversee the research project.

An inter-agency officials’ Steering Group was established to provide governance for the project and a cross-sectoral Advisory Group was established to provide advice on the research approach and to facilitate engagement with the victim services sector.

Researchers from the Crime and Justice Research Centre at Victoria University of Wellington were contracted to carry out the research. Work commenced on the four work streams that will be carried out during the research project.

Provide policy advice on measures to improve young people’s sexual and reproductive health.

The Ministry, together with the Ministries of Education and Health, commissioned a review of sexuality education in New Zealand schools.

The resulting reports, The Teaching of Sexuality Education in Years 7 to 13, and The Teaching of Sexuality Education in Years 7 to 13: Good Practice, were released in August 2007.

Work with Housing New Zealand Corporation to implement the goal of meeting diverse needs within the New Zealand Housing Strategy.

The Ministry provided input to Housing New Zealand Corporation in their implementation of the New Zealand Housing Strategy.

Highlights for 2007/08

• Establishing the Sexual Violence Research Unit, inter-agency Steering and cross-sectoral Advisory Groups, and awarding the research contract.
• Releasing the Ministry-commissioned University of Waikato report Living at the Cutting Edge: Women’s Experiences of Protection Orders.
• Completing the Ministry’s court advocates project culminating in a report to the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families, which recommended the development of an Independent Victim Advocate for victims of family violence.
• Publishing the joint Ministry (Women’s Affairs, Education and Health)-commissioned Education Review Office reports, The Teaching of Sexuality Education in Years 7 to 13, and The Teaching of Sexuality Education in Years 7 to 13: Good Practice. 

2007/08 Output Objectives

2007/08 Achievements

Attend and contribute to the annual Commonwealth, State, Territory and New Zealand Ministers’ Conference on the Status of Women (MINCO).

The Ministry participated in the annual MINCO meeting, held in August 2007.

Attend and contribute to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

The Ministry participated in the annual meeting of CSW, held in February 2008.

Support the Vote Minister to present New Zealand’s sixth report to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

The Ministry accompanied the Vote Minister to present New Zealand’s sixth report on the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, in July 2007.

Highlights for 2007/08

• Finalising New Zealand’s sixth report on the UN Convention on the Eliminations of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and providing support to the Minister to present the report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
• Providing support to the Cook Islands prior to the presentation of the Cook Island’s first report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
• Providing support to Pacific nation representatives at the CSW meeting.
  
• Continuing to convene the Caucus on International Women’s Issues.

2007/08 Output Objectives

2007/08 Achievements

Collect and report on whole-of-government statistics on women’s representation on government boards and committees for the 2006 calendar year, to track progress toward the 50 percent representation objective.

The Ministry completed the stocktake for the 2006 calendar year, which showed that women represented 42 percent of board/committee membership.

The stocktake data was published in full in the Human Rights Commission’s Census of Women’s Participation 2008.

Collect and analyse individual departments’ board and committee gender statistics in order to identify those where the representation is below 40 percent, so that additional assistance can be offered if required.

The board/committee membership data for the 2006 calendar year was analysed; 17 departments had ratios below 40 percent.

The Ministry responded to all nominations requests from these departments and, through comments on Cabinet papers, encouraged them to make gender balance a priority.

Add new women to the database as they are identified – women with governance experience, working at executive and senior levels in the corporate sector, management, the professions and community service including Māori, Pacific and disabled women.

The number of women registered on the Ministry’s database increased to 2,705:

• 467 are Māori women (17 percent)
• 97 are Pacific women (4 percent)
• 68 are ethnic women (3 percent)
• 30 are self-identified women with disabilities (1 percent).
  

Publish the Nominations Service          four-monthly email On Board, to inform all stakeholders of progress toward the 50 percent target.

Three issues of On Board were distributed to stakeholders. On Board contained information about new appointments of women, the whole-of-government stocktake and governance issues of interest to women on the database.

Contribute information about the Nominations Service to national and international forums as required.

The Ministry contributed information about the Nominations Service and governance to the public and private sectors, and international forums as required.

Highlights for 2007/08

• Completing and analysing the results of the 2006 whole-of-government stocktake of women’s representation on statutory bodies and circulating the results to ministers, chief executives and governance officials throughout the state sector.
• Gathering the data for the 2007 calendar year whole-of-government stocktake ready for analysis and reporting to interested parties.
• Receiving ratings of 4 (more than met requirements) or higher on a survey of officials to whom the service regularly provides nominations.
• Adopting new processes, such as invitations to women on the database to apply directly for positions, which benefit women on the database and increase the range of services provided.