Members from NCWNZ Ōtautahi Christchurch Branch were pleased to have two speakers from Women in Sport Waitaha at their Branch meeting on August 20th.

We are all buzzing after the inspiring successes of wāhine athletes at the Olympic Games. But as our speakers, Katrina Mansfield and Rachel Froggatt, pointed out there is still much to be done to ensure that women and girls who play sport, or who are involved in coaching or management roles, are better supported both financially and emotionally. Our speakers highlighted the work that they are planning as a new organisation. They have been set up for only two years and are at the steering committee and networking stage.

Two members of the NCWNZ Wellington Branch have been recognised for their volunteer work and leadership.

Harita Gandhi-Kashyap receiving her award at the Volunteer Wellington Mahi Aroha Awards 2024

Harita Gandhi-Kashyap has received a number of awards and honours in 2024. Harita’s contributions to NCWNZ include being the Wellington Branch Treasurer, founder of the Conversations with Wāhine radio show and podcast, and member of the Parliamentary Watch Committee. Harita also volunteers with Wellington Indian Association, Crohns and Colitis NZ, and runs another podcast Coconut Chats. She is an accountant in her day job. Congratulations to Harita for receiving the following awards and honours, recognising her unwavering commitment to her volunteer work:

• Vibe Lifter Award from Raglan Food Co
• Top 40 under 40 for 2024 for the Indian Achievers Club
• 3rd Place for the Mitre10 MEGA Wellington Volunteer of the Year Award at the Volunteer Wellington Mahi Aroha Awards 2024

Irene Ryan

On Monday, 8th April, the NCWNZ Auckland Branch invited Dr Irene Ryan to give an overview of a research project she and Branch Chair, Associate Professor, Barbara Myers are working on exploring the life stories of older, single women, aged 50-70 years. Irene began with a story that had provided the impetus for the research. Similar stories resonate today: groups of seemingly ‘invisible single women’, labelled as older, insecure, and struggling, despite many still being in full time employment.

Barbara Myer

The wider study sought to examine how the gendering of social class intersects with ageing, producing lines of privilege and (dis)advantage for single, employed, older women, who over time experience precarity at multiple levels of life’s domains. Irene outlined how the research, unfortunately hindered by COVID and its aftermath, is significant because it shifts beyond the usual ‘snapshot’ chronological age approach. The study considers the biographical dimension of a life course of gendered paid and unpaid work experiences, resources accrued (or not) and the challenges, which have rarely been heard. It does so by looking at ageing (not just chronological age), gendering (which refers to the process of socialisation according to the dominant gender norms), overlaid by social class (defined as the intersection of two-axis: socio-economic power and occupation), to show how identity markers and their boundaries are not fixed and how their social and political meanings vary over time.

NCWNZ members have had a busy week hanging out with Deborah Frances-White, host of the internationally acclaimed The Guilty Feminist podcast. They did live shows in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. 

Read about this award-winning podcast at the website: https://guiltyfeminist.com/.

The list of tour dates for The Guilty Feminist Down Under 2024 series and panelists can be found here: https://guiltyfeminist.com/aus-nz-tour2024/

Eid Mubarak (Arabic: عِيد مُبَارَك‎ ʿīd mubārak) is an Arabic phrase that means “Blessed feast/festival.” The term is used by Muslims all over the world as a greeting to celebrate Eid al-Fitr to mark the end of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha (which is in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah).

Two members of the Manukau Branch of NCW attended the International Women's Day multicultural event on 8 March 2024 held by the Filipino alliance of women's organisations called Gabriela Aotearoa. The event was part of the "One Billion Rising" celebration for 2024. According to their website: "We rise through dance to express joy and community and celebrate the fact that we have not been defeated by violence [against women]. We rise to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable."

Former Whanganui Member of Parliament Steph Lewis spoke on Tuesday 13 February 2024 at a regular meeting of the Whanganui NCWNZ branch. After a general summary of the history and goals of the National Council of Women as well as an overview on women in parliament today, we introduced Lewis. Carla Donson Manager of the Women's Network then put questions to Steph and it felt more like a conversation about her experiences and reflections being an MP.

Lewis focused on coping with public abuse that MPs, especially women MPs, endure. The abuse came from men and women. People threatened to protest at her home, and some would even follow her home from meetings. 

In February 2022, Lewis was harassed by anti-COVID vaccine mandate protestors outside Parliament. Some protestors came around the building banging on windows, and she heard them threatening to kidnap and lynch her. When Parliament adjourned at 10 p.m. protesters waited at the exit for MPs to leave, and security had to escort them from the building.

Photo of Audrey Jarvis submitted by Anne McCarthy with the permission of the Jarvis family.

The Manawatu Branch of the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) mourns the death on 22 January 2024 of a loved and valued long-term member, Audrey Jarvis. 

In 2004, Audrey became the Methodist Church’s delegate to the Manawatu Branch NCWNZ which she, like all of us, referred to as NCW.

She was soon elected to the Branch executive, then to the vice presidency and in 2009 she was elected Branch President. She served in that role for the maximum time of four years.

One of the actions that Audrey was most proud of took place in 2009. Cotton On, the clothing firm, had started selling tee shirts for children with slogans that were inappropriate for them. Led by Audrey, Branch members sat outside Cotton On, cutting up some of the offending tee shirts, all the while explaining to the passers by what they were doing, why they were doing it and encouraging them to boycott the store. Subsequently, Cotton On stopped selling the tee shirts.

In 2016 Audrey was awarded a Distinguished Service Award by NCW New Zealand. Her nomination mentions that, more than once, she represented the Branch on the panels for Palmerston North City Council Civic Awards and TrustPower Community awards. She also represented the Branch at meetings about Pharmac funding and about alcohol legislation.

The nomination also refers to the Branch activities Audrey was involved in. As well as the Cotton On campaign, these included making submissions to both the MidCentral and Whanganui District Health Boards on maternity services. She also presented copies of Megan Hutching's Leading the Way – How New Zealand Women Won the Vote to five local secondary schools with female pupils. The books had been donated by NCW Manawatu.

The Auckland Branch and the Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Action Hub collaborated for the Suffrage Day Event held in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. The National Council of Women worked with Auckland Council to celebrate the auspicious occasion of 130 years since women won the right to vote. This is the first year of a new partnership working with Te Rōpū Wāhine, Auckland Council’s Women’s Collective Network, and it is an exciting partnership working with local wāhine toa. The event was held, as in recent years, at the Suffrage Memorial - Te Hā O Hine Place. Speakers included the Auckland President, Barbara Myers, Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, Challen Wilson, and included karakia and koreo from Ngati Whatua. Over a hundred and thirty attended the sunny lunchtime event that celebrated achievements including the Life Membership awarded to Jane Prichard.

In September, the Wellington Branch of the National Council of Women New Zealand, Graduate Women Wellington, and Zonta Club of Wellington, came together to co-host the Annual Women’s Debate 2023: “A Gender Lens on the General Election.”