Panui September 2008

Click HERE for a PDF [1.5MB] of Pānui September 2008
 

Table of Contents

How New Zealand women are doing
E Pēhea ana ngā wāhine o Aotearoa
Hon Steve Chadwick, Minister of Women’s Affairs - Getting the balance right
Coming up
Honouring eight remarkable Māori women
Survivors of sexual violence interviewed
Some key facts on sexual violence in New Zealand
What happens in other common law countries?
Putting gender equality at the heart of government
Women in business
Speaking out against violence towards women
New Zealand’s commitment to world’s women – Global Call to Action
Women on the Move
Women on Boards - Lynne Coleman
In Brief

• Women more likely to be injured at home
• Engaging with diverse communities
• Preventing infections that lead to cervical cancer
• Tribute to loved Māori leader
• Rural Woman Award

How New Zealand women are doing

When the Action Plan for New Zealand Women (the Action Plan) was launched in 2004, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MWA) was charged with monitoring progress towards its goals.

The Action Plan has three major goals: to improve the economic independence of women (economic sustainability); achieve greater work-life balance for families (work-life balance); and improve the quality of life of New Zealand women (well-being).

A report recently compiled by MWA uses indicators to provide an overall picture of how New Zealand women are doing in a range of areas including health, education, economic outcomes, and leadership.

Indicators for Change: Tracking the progress of New Zealand Women acts as a ‘dashboard’ and aims to:

• give an overall snapshot of how women, or particular groups of women, are doing
• focus on some areas where women are not doing so well
• include some areas that are significant for women, but are not a focus of other monitoring reports
• provide a ‘gender angle’ that complements and expands on monitoring from other reports.
  

MWA Policy Manager Sarah Turner said much progress had been made on the Action Plan but obstacles to achieving gender equity remained. Monitoring progress allowed MWA to identify areas which may require a stronger focus and adjust priorities accordingly.

‘The last forty years have seen enormous changes in women’s roles in society. Women have entered new areas of education and paid work, and more women are now participating in the workforce than ever before. They have a lot more options for how they live their lives.

‘There are, however, still obstacles to gender equity. These include valuing the significant contribution that women make through their unpaid work; eliminating violence against women; and ensuring women have access to equal opportunities in those areas of the workforce where they are still poorly represented.’

Sarah said MWA was anticipating that the report would provide policy makers with a clearer understanding of the areas where changes may be necessary for improvements to occur. Wherever possible, the indicators have been disaggregated by ethnicity and age, as well as gender.

The report will be available on the Ministry of Women’s Affairs’ website later this year.

E Pēhea ana ngā wāhine o Aotearoa

I te whakarewatanga o te Rautaki Manahau mō ngā Wāhine o Aotearoa (te Rautaki Manahau) i te tau 2004, ka riro mā Te Minitatanga mō ngā Wāhine (TMW) e aroturuki te whakatutukitanga o ana whāinga.

E toru ngā whāinga matua o te Rautaki Manahau: he whakapakari ake i te mana whai pūtea o ngā wāhine (oranga ōhanga); he whakapakari ake i te whāritenga a te mahi me te oranga mō ngā whānau (whāritenga mahi–oranga); he whakapakari i te āhua o te noho a ngā wāhine o Aotearoa (toiora).

Kei te whakamahi tohu tētahi pūrongo hou nā TMW, kia puta ai he tirōhanga whānui mō te ahu pēhea o ngā wāhine o Aotearoa i ngā kaupapa pēnei i te hauora, te mātauranga, te ōhanga, me te kaiārahitanga.

Ko Ngā Tohu: He aroturuki i te ahu pēhea o ngā Wāhine o Aotearoa te ‘tūāpapa rangahau’ e whai ana:

• kia puta he tirōhanga whānui mō te ahu pēhea o ngā wāhine, ngā rōpū wāhine rānei
• kia āta tirohia ngā kaupapa e oke ana ngā wāhine
• kia uru mai ngā kaupapa nui ki ngā wāhine, kāore i ētahi atu momo pūrongo
• kia uru mai he ‘whakaaro wāhine’ hei whakarehu, hei whakawhānui hoki i ngā aroturuki nō ētahi atu pūrongo.
  

Hei tā te Āpiha Matua Kaitatari Kaupapa o TMW, a Sarah Turner, kua tino ahu whakamua te Rautaki Manahau, engari, kei konā tonu ngā tairo whakahōtaetae i te noho taurite a te wahine me te tāne. Nā te aroturuki, i taea ai e TMW te tohu i ngā kaupapa hei āta tirotiro mā rātou, me te whakahāngai whakaaro ki aua kaupapa.

‘Kua tino rerekē ngā tūranga ā-hapori o ngā wāhine i ngā tau whā tekau nei. Kua whai tūranga hou ngā wāhine i te ao mātauranga me te ao mahi, ā, tokomaha ake ngā wāhine e mahi ana i nāianei. Nui ake ā rātou kōwhiringa hei whakatau i te āhua o tā rātou noho.

‘Heoi, kei konā tonu ngā tairo whakahōtaetae i te noho taurite a te wahine me te tāne, pēnei i te whakamānawatanga o te mahi nui a ngā wāhine i ngā kaupapa tūao; te whakakorenga o ngā mahi tūkino wāhine; me te whakamana i te wahine kia taea ai e ia ngā tūranga mahi e tokoiti tonu nei, te whai me te mana taurite.’

Hei tā Sarah, tērā TMW te tūmanako ake, ka riro mā te pūrongo ngā kaiwhakarite take e whakamōhio atu ki ngā kaupapa hei whakarerekē kia pai ai. I ngā wāhi i taea ai, kua wehewehea ngā tohu kia hāngai ki te iwitanga, ki te pakeke, me te ira.

Ka kitea te pūrongo nei i te paetukutuku a TMW ā ngā marama mutunga o tēnei tau.

Getting the balance right

Hon Steve Chadwick, Minister of Women’s Affairs

No single law could ensure New Zealanders have work-life balance. That would be impossible, as a balance between paid work and personal, social, cultural, and family life is different for every person. What Government can do, however, is legislate in ways that offer people choices and make it easier to achieve that balance. The Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendment Act which came into force on 1 July does this.

The Act gives employees with caring responsibilities a right to request flexible work, requires employers to consider the request, and provides the only grounds upon which they can refuse. It allows eligible workers to ask for flexibility in hours, days, or place of work and covers arrangements such as flexi-time, home-working, career breaks, term-time working, altered hours, and job sharing.

The new legislation is good news for both men and women who are in paid employment and who have caring responsibilities. For me as Minister of Women’s Affairs it is particularly pleasing, as achieving a healthy work-life balance is one of the three main goals of the 2004 Action Plan for New Zealand Women.

During the extensive consultation phase of the Action Plan, the need to achieve work-life balance emerged strongly, particularly by Māori women and Pacific women. This need was also highlighted by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2003. Women emphasised their need for opportunity and choice in relation to participation in paid work and the many other roles they fulfil.

Four years later, there have been marked improvements. The flexible working arrangements legislation now sits alongside paid parental leave, improved access to early childhood education, and Working for Families, all of which are designed to assist New Zealand families achieve greater work-life balance, and all of which are doing just that.

And finally, a piece of legislation that is particularly dear to me as a mother and former mid-wife – the Employment Relations (Breaks and Infant Feeding) Amendment Bill. This bill will also greatly assist working parents, particularly women. It will require employers to provide appropriate facilities and breaks for employees who wish to breastfeed or express breast milk, either at work or during work time. This is important to both infant and maternal health, and it can help employers with staff recruitment and retention by assisting mothers to return to their job at a time of their choosing.

We are reaching our Action Plan goal of greater work-life balance for those in the paid workforce and this can only be good for everyone. Improvements in work-life balance achieve economic and social benefits for women, men, families/whānau, and communities, which improves the economic prospects and social environment for all of New Zealand.

Coming up

• Women’s Suffrage Day is on 19 September.

• World Rural Women’s Day is 15 October.

• The International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women (White Ribbon Day) is 25 November. More information on White Ribbon Day and activities planned are available at www.whiteribbon.org.nz

Honouring eight remarkable Māori women

Working tirelessly behind the scenes in their communities has been a way of life for eight Māori women leaders who were honoured at a ceremony at Parliament in June.

MWA, the Māori Women’s Welfare League, and Te Puni Kōkiri jointly held ‘He Wāhine Pūmanawa’ (Women of Natural Talents) to coincide with Matariki.

Atiria Ake (Tainui); Edith Mihaere (Tairāwhiti); Doreen Erueti (Aotea); Kiri Scott (Ikaroa); Maria Parore-Larsen (Te Tai Tokerau); Tatiana Pimm (Te Waipounamu); Evelyn Taumaunu (Tāmaki Makaurau); and Irene Mokai (Waiāriki) represented the eight Māori Women’s Welfare League regions and had more than 300 years membership of the League between them.

Over 200 guests attended the ceremony which included entertainment by Te Roopu Tahiwi o Te Whanganui-a-Tara and an impromptu kapa haka display by visiting students from Hukarere Girls College, Turakina Māori Girls College, and Te Aute College. Addresses were given by the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hon Steve Chadwick; Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Parekura Horomia; Rt Hon Winston Peters; and President of the Māori Women’s Welfare League, Linda Grennell.

Women’s Affairs Minister Steve Chadwick said leadership did not always involve being in the spotlight, and He Wāhine Pūmanawa was a wonderful opportunity to honour the Māori women community leaders.

‘The women we are celebrating tonight work passionately for their communities. Their backgrounds are varied and their work extends far, from education and Kōhanga Reo, to nursing, to advocating for their iwi and communities.

‘Tonight we recognise their immeasurable contribution to their whānau, hapū, iwi, communities, to the League, and to Aotearoa New Zealand as a whole. They remind us that leadership which may not always be high profile, is just as valuable as leadership that is at the forefront of change’.

Since 1993, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs has held an annual event as one way of celebrating the important role and achievements of Māori women as tangata whenua, and to highlight the contributions that Māori women make to New Zealand’s economy.

Survivors of sexual violence interviewed

Interviews with survivors of sexual violence, both male and female, are underway as the sexual violence research project being led by MWA moves into another phase. Interviews and surveys are also being conducted with service providers, police, crown prosecutors, victim advisors and judges across New Zealand.

One of the four project work streams – an international and national literature review on best practice and challenges for agencies that respond to survivors – has been completed in draft form.

Project manager Dr Denise Lievore says the last couple of months had been labour-intensive for the researchers involved – senior researchers from the Crime and Justice Research Centre at Victoria University – as they visited agencies in different areas and set up interviews and surveys.

‘Analysing our information needs and the best way to structure surveys and interviews is a time-consuming process. The surveys are a way for those who do not get to take part in a face-to-face interview to have their views heard.’

In another work stream, police are collecting statistical information which will help the researchers to analyse the conviction rate of certain types of sexual violation offences recorded by police. It will also help to promote understanding of factors associated with cases that do or do not proceed through the justice system.

The next phase of the project will be the analysis and write-up of the results. The final report to government will make recommendations for policy and practice responses for victims of adult sexual violence.

What happens in other common law countries?

In a separate but related project, the project’s Research Co-ordinator, Nicole Benkert, has been looking at initiatives in other common law jurisdictions such as Scotland, Ireland, and the Australian state of Victoria. Nicole says one interesting initiative she came across was a police remote reporting scheme in Scotland.

‘Sexual assault survivors often do not report the offence to police for various reasons, including the fear they will not be believed or that they will be stigmatised. With the remote reporting scheme, the survivor does not have to go to the police to report directly, they can report the matter to a third party agency that in turn forwards the report to the police.

‘Third party agencies are listed on the police websites and include organisations that support women; refugees; immigrants; prostitutes; and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. These organisations receive training by police and they give survivors the option to report anonymously and/or refer them on to agencies that may be able to give them advice and support.’

Some key facts on sexual violence in New Zealand:

• Although it is significantly under-reported, it is estimated to affect approximately one in five New Zealand women and one in 20 New Zealand men. Rates are highest for young women (26 percent of 17–24 year-olds) and Māori women (23 percent).

• Some of the health consequences of sexual violence include reproductive problems such as gynaecological complications and sexually transmitted infections; and mental health problems including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal behaviour.

• Some of the social problems associated with sexual victimisation include ostracism, victims being made to feel they are to blame for the assault, poor self-esteem and feelings of isolation and helplessness.

• Sexual violence is most often committed by someone the survivor knows rather than by a ‘dangerous stranger’. This includes partners and ex-partners, close friends, workmates, and family members.

• In 2003/04, sexual offences are estimated to have cost the economy $1.2 billion. This equates to approximately $72,130 for each sexual offence. It is New Zealand’s most costly category of crime, primarily reflecting the impact on the victims.
  

Putting gender equality at the heart of government

MWA Chief Executive, Shenagh Gleisner, is working for one month in an advisory capacity in the Government Equalities Office in the United Kingdom Civil Service. She sent us this from her desk in London.

The UK Government Equalities Office (GEO) is a new self-standing department, whose mission is to ‘put equality at the heart of Government’. The GEO is responsible for the government’s overall strategy on equality as well as leading on women’s issues across government. The GEO reports to the Ministers for Women and Equality, Harriet Harman and Barbara Follett.

Here are some things that have got me thinking, and hopefully these questions will open up some discussion amongst our Pānui readers too.

Does a ‘gender duty’ required of all departments make outcomes for women better? 
A new gender duty to promote gender equality came into force in April 2007 in the UK. There is also a race duty and a disability duty.

The duties affect public bodies such as the police, local government, the National Health Service and many other organisations. Under previous laws, action could only be taken against public bodies after they discriminated on grounds of sex. Now they must take steps to proactively promote equality between women and men.

My current perception is that this duty takes a lot of time to develop within an organisation and at its worst is geared to compliance rather than positive action. I am left wondering if the benefits of getting compliance within the public sector is really making a difference to the outcomes for the more disadvantaged groups.

Then I came across the application of the gender duty in the London Development Agency (the Mayor's agency responsible for driving London's sustainable economic growth) and I was most impressed at how seriously they were taking it and how their plans looked likely to assist women economically and socially in London. Time will tell!

Do requirements for state sector agencies to deliver against specific targets improve performance?
The UK has a system of agreements with state sector agencies where targets are set and assessed over a period of three years. The set of initiatives to support the targets are similar to the plans under the umbrella of the Action Plan for New Zealand Women. New Zealand tends, however, not to have a comprehensive set of targets.

One of the UK agreements focuses on reducing inequality, including the gender pay gap. The current pay gap in the UK is similar to New Zealand and the target is to reduce it by 0.8 percent over three years.

This has raised a lot of issues for me – will the target make any difference? Is a three year timeframe useful, when it is long term sustainable cultural change that is needed? I shall look forward to discussing this further with the MWA policy team when I return.

What have you noticed about the attitude towards women in work in the UK?
Thinking about cultural change – I am not convinced that the support for women in the workforce is growing in the United Kingdom amongst the general public. I have noticed that there is debate in the papers about the importance of women being at home to care for families. What is less current in the media is a debate about the importance of men doing the caring roles.

Will the shift to put gender under a broader equalities agenda be helpful?
It is too early to say whether the focus on gender, or specifically upon women, will be watered-down as the work comes under the bigger umbrella of equalities. Clearly many women suffer disproportionately if they are also in ethnic minorities or with disabilities – so being able to consider discrimination or disadvantage more comprehensively could be valuable. My first reaction is that it will require a lot of persistence and effort to keep the gender issues at the forefront.

Women in business

Women make up more than a third of self-employed people in New Zealand.
A joint Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MWA) and Ministry of Economic Development (MED) report Women in Enterprise: A report on women in small and medium enterprises in New Zealand, released in July, provides a profile of the characteristics of self-employed women in New Zealand and highlights trends in women’s self-employment.

The Women in Enterprise report is available on the MWA website at http://www.mwa.govt.nz/news-and-pubs

Speaking out against violence towards women

Wellington chef Steve Logan is one of the men lending their support to this year’s White Ribbon Day campaign.

White Ribbon Day, 25 November, is the international day when people wear a white ribbon to show that they will not condone violence towards women. Steve Logan and others express their feelings about violence towards women on the Families Commission website www.whiteribbon.org.nz. The Commission helps co-ordinate an inter-agency committee that organises the annual campaign. MWA is also represented on the committee.

In 2008 White Ribbon Day acknowledges the many men willing to show leadership and commitment to promoting safe, healthy relationships within families. The campaign also encourages men to challenge each other on attitudes and behaviour that are abusive.

More information about White Ribbon Day, events and activities planned, and how to order resources is also available on www.whiteribbon.org.nz

New Zealand’s commitment to world’s women

A torch accepted by Women’s Affairs Minister Steve Chadwick at Parliament in August symbolised New Zealand’s commitment to an international campaign for gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Steve Chadwick said she was honoured to receive the torch and ‘add New Zealand’s voice to the urgent international call for increased attention and investment in Millennium Development Goal 3 (MDG3)’.

MDG3 is one of eight United Nations’ goals agreed to by UN member states and leading development institutions. These goals range from providing universal primary education to halving extreme poverty and halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, all by the target date of 2015.

MDG3 seeks to promote gender equality and empower women at all levels. By accepting the torch and joining the Global Call to Action, New Zealand committed to ‘do something extra’ to achieve MDG3.

‘Advancing women’s rights has a direct link to the attainment of economic growth, sustainable development, good governance, and peace. Women are the backbone of families, villages, communities, and nations. Yet globally, they are much more likely than men to be poor, malnourished, illiterate, and denied access to basic health services.

‘New Zealand has always been a strong supporter of women’s rights and I am proud to be able to say that ‘we commit to do more’ for gender equality and the world’s women.’

More information is available at www.mdg3action.um.dk

Global Call to Action

The Global Call to Action on MDG3 is a Danish Government-led initiative. At the Wellington event, the torch was handed to the Minister of Women’s Affairs Steve Chadwick by the Royal Danish Consulate-General, Kenneth Fink-Jensen. At least 100 torches are travelling the world and those who accept them commit to ‘do something extra’ for gender equality and the empowerment of women.

World leaders will come together in New York on 25 September 2008 to renew their commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and to set out concrete plans and practical steps for action. At this meeting the United Nations’ Secretary-General will be invited to accept the last torch.

Women on the Move

The 80-member Taupo Chamber of Commerce, which represents businesses in Taupo, has elected its first woman president, Chris Dolman.

East Coast environmental consultant Louise Savage and former mayor Yvonne Sharp from Kerikeri have been appointed to the New Zealand Conservation Authority.

Professor Keitha Dunstan and Mai Chen, both based in Wellington, have been appointed as members of the Securities Commission, New Zealand’s main regulator of investments.

Securities Commission Chair Jane Diplock has been re-elected as executive chair of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).

Waikato-based Dianne Yates has been appointed to the board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). FSANZ is responsible for the development of standards for food composition and labelling in New Zealand and Australia.

Associate Professor Jane Koziol-McLain from Auckland University of Technology (AUT) has been appointed to the Ministry of Health’s Violence Intervention Programme Advisory Group and to the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse Advisory Group. Jane is co-director of AUT’s Interdisciplinary Trauma Research Unit.

Environment Court Commissioner Kathryn Edmonds has been appointed to the Board of Inquiry on the Proposed New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement.

Christine Caughey from Auckland sits on the New Zealand Transport Agency, which came into being when Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand were disestablished on 1 August 2008.

Hanneke Bouchier has been appointed as the Deputy Legal Complaints Review Officer under the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006.

A new appointment to the board of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is Shona Smith, Deputy Principal of Waitakere College.

Women on Boards

Lynne Coleman

Member, Sports Tribunal of New Zealand (2008 - )

Member, Waitemata District Health Board (2001 - )

Trustee, Harbour Sports Trust (2006 - )

Trustee, Wilson Home Trust (2005 - )

Dr Lynne Coleman of Auckland is a general practitioner and sports doctor. She is Health Team Leader of the New Zealand Commonwealth Games and Olympic Teams. She is also Medical Director of New Zealand Women’s Basketball, New Zealand Women’s Rugby, and Swimming New Zealand.

Lynne is the first clinician to be appointed to the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand and began her three-year term in May. She is also in her third three-year term as an elected member of the Waitemata District Health Board, and is chair of the Hospital Advisory Committee and Quality and Risk Committee.

Lynne took time out of her hectic schedule to talk to MWA just before she headed off to the Beijing Olympic Games.

MWA: Congratulations on your appointment to the Sports Tribunal, could you tell us how that came about, and what the Tribunal does?
MWA nominations advisor, Sean Molloy, brought my attention to the vacancy so I applied. My qualifications matched what was required, and my application was accepted.

The Sports Tribunal is an independent body that hears appeals against decisions of national sport organisations or the New Zealand Olympics Committee, and determines other disputes related to sports decisions. There are nine members on the Tribunal, five men and four women.

Once a matter has been referred to the Tribunal, we look at the evidence to see if there is a case to answer. When we hold a hearing, we pretty much run like a court of law. We are governed by the Sports Anti-Doping Act 2006, which gives us the ability to mediate, facilitate a process, and come to a legal decision.

One recent case was marathon runner Liza Hunter-Galvan who appealed to the Tribunal after she was not selected for the Beijing Olympic Games. The Tribunal upheld the appeal and referred the matter back to Athletics New Zealand to reconsider its decision. Liza was nominated for the team and went to the Games. It was a very difficult case and the Tribunal did an extremely good job.

MWA: How did you become Health Team Leader of the New Zealand Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games and what does it involve?
In 2004 I was a little cheeky and applied for the position of Olympic Team Leader after I saw the advertisement. I did not get the job as they really wanted someone who had previously taken a sports team overseas, but I was asked to go as the team doctor. So I went to the Olympic Games in Athens as the only GP and the only woman doctor in a team of four.

I subsequently applied for the position of co-leader for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games Team and was successful. Last year I led teams to the Youth Olympics in Sydney and the World University Games in Bangkok.

In Beijing, I am responsible for co-ordinating all the work that supports the health and well-being of the Games team.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I spend time with my family and friends. We – my husband and our five children aged from 21 years to 12 years – live on 10 acres and my parents and brother also live with us. Early on in our marriage, my husband and I made a conscious decision that we would both be hands-on parents and he has always encouraged me to challenge myself and stretch myself. I enjoy keeping fit, reading, and handicrafts such as needlework.

What advice would you give to other women who aspire to sit on a board?
Search for knowledge of what it is like to be involved. What I personally did was try to decide where I needed extra experience. It is good to have financial accounting skills, to read lots of Board reports, and to have an understanding of the strategic governance role. Being on a Board is not about running the business. It is about the strategic level and understanding where the organisation is heading. That to me is the exciting stuff, ‘how far can we take this?’ 

In Brief

Women more likely to be injured at home

Women are more at risk of home accidents than men – they are twice as likely to have an injury in the home, and the cost of claims made by women is more than $150 million each year.

Statistics from ACC’s Safety NZ Week (1-7 September) show that more accidents happen in the home than anywhere else.

 
This year one in seven Kiwis will have a home accident. 36,000 of these people will be injured so badly they will require hospitalisation, and 500 of them will die from their injuries. That’s almost five times the number of people who die in accidents at work, and more than the number who die on the road each year.

Research conducted by ACC showed that 55 percent of New Zealanders understand they are at risk of an injury in the home, but only 15 percent actually think it could happen to them.

Here are some simple tips to help keep you safe in and around your home:

• Install non-slip mats in the shower or bath.
• Make sure your stairs are well lit and always use the handrail. Install a light switch at both ends of the stairs. Outside, install sensor lights.
• Wear non-slip shoes or slippers on wooden floors.
• Make sure that all sliding glass doors are visible – the easiest way is to put stickers on them. You can also add a frosted or coloured panel.
• Play it safe with ladders – always keep three points of body contact on a ladder at all times and never overreach sideways – keeping your belt buckle between the ladder rails is a good way to ensure you do not overreach.
  

For more information on how to keep yourself safe at home visit www.homesafety.co.nz

Engaging with diverse communities

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs is committed to engaging with the many communities of women in New Zealand, and ensuring that the policy work it undertakes reflects these diverse perspectives. MWA Chief Executive Shenagh Gleisner recently gave a presentation at a forum organised by the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand. Shenagh said the opportunity allowed her and MWA staff to explore in more depth the specific concerns of Muslim women.

Preventing infections that lead to cervical cancer

New Zealand girls aged 12 to 18 years are to be offered a free vaccine to prevent the most common infections that can lead to cervical cancer.

New Zealand’s Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Immunisation Programme started this month and is initially being offered to older girls born in 1990 and 1991 who are not at school. This age group can get HPV vaccine from their family doctor or practice nurse.

The next stage of the programme will see younger girls in the 12-18 age group offered the vaccine at school starting in early 2009. The vaccine offer will be ongoing for year 8 girls (aged 12 to 13 years) through nurses in schools.

The HPV programme aims to reduce cervical cancer in New Zealand by protecting girls against HPV infection. Currently, around 160 New Zealand women each year are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 60 women per year die from cervical cancer.

Tribute to loved Māori leader

A new biography of Ngoingoi Pēwhairangi, a loved and respected Māori leader, is written by her niece, Tania M. Ka’ai, as a tribute to her late aunt.

Ngoingoi Pēwhairangi was involved in all aspects of Māori society, including Māori education; performing and traditional arts; and politics, and she was committed to the revival of Māori custom.

‘Ngoingoi Pēwhairangi: A Remarkable Life’ contains the testimonies of many people who knew her using their own words and is written in bilingual text. It is published by Huia Publishers http://www.huia.co.nz/books/585.

Rural Woman Award

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) has launched the RWNZ Enterprising Rural Woman Award 2009. The new award is aimed at supporting and promoting women running their own small businesses based in rural areas. The three Award finalists will be presented with their prizes at a ceremony at Parliament on 15 May 2009.

More information and entry forms are available on the RWNZ website at www.ruralwomen.org.nz or telephone 0800 256 467. Entries close on 16 February 2009.

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