Our Strategic Vision
The National Council of Women of New Zealand’s strategic vision is a gender equal New Zealand. By building understanding and driving action for gender equality, we enable New Zealanders to have the freedom and opportunity to determine their own future.
We want all New Zealanders to say, “gender is irrelevant in terms of achievement and freedom”; “all societal roles are valued in New Zealand”; “I can be whatever I want to be” and “employment supports gender equality and work/life balance”.
At the moment all New Zealanders cannot say these things. While we once were a leader in gender equality, in 2016 the statistics show our work is not done. Our research shows that if we are to successfully achieve our vision of a gender equal New Zealand the potential impact is huge – socially, and economically.
We Drive Cultural Change
The reasons for gender inequality are entrenched in our culture. We need to drive cultural change and hold New Zealand accountable for its progress to achieve equality. We need to tackle this problem at its root cause and take a long, hard look at our language and attitudes towards gender. We need to stop it at the start.
We Lead and Connect
Established by our founding President Kate Sheppard in 1896, we have around 250 member organisations at a national or local level representing over 100,000 women with many of our member organisations representing all genders. We also have 19 branches around the country. We represent a collaborative network covering membership, public, private and not for profit organizations.
We Inform and Influence
Our members have the opportunity to contribute to discussion and submissions on policies that impact the opportunities and welfare of women. NCWNZ represents these views to policymakers. Every month, NCWNZ members receive an update on current issues via our newsletter, The Circular. Non-members can subscribe to The Circular for $50 per year. Email us for more information.
We Take Action
Our current work includes:
- Enabling women’s potential: the social, economic and ethical imperative
- Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
- Women’s Voices: Recording women’s experiences of the Canterbury earthquakes
We are a member of the Pay Equity Challenge Coalition and 26 for Babies: Campaign to Extend Paid Parental Leave.
