CEDAW Report 2010 The Status of Women in New Zealand CEDAW Report New Zealand’s seventh report on its implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women March 2006 – March 2010 Published by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. Prepared by the Ministry in consultation with other government agencies and civil society. 48 Mulgrave Street, PO Box 10049, Wellington 6143, New Zealand. Internet www.mwa.govt.nz ISBN 978-0-478355-05-5 Table of contents Foreword i Introduction iii PART 1: Discrimination and protections, human rights, prejudice and exploitation 1 Article 1: Definition of discrimination against women 2 Article 2: Policy measures to eliminate discrimination 2 Article 3: The development and advancement of women 3 Article 4: Temporary special measures 5 Article 5: Sex role stereotyping and prejudice 5 Article 6: Prostitution 6 PART II: Participation and equality in political and public life, representation and nationality 7 Article 7: Participation in Political and Public Life 8 Article 8: International representation 10 Article 9: Nationality 12 PART III: Education; equal access, opportunities and conditions in relation to employment; health; social assistance; and rural women 13 Article 10: Education 14 Article 11: Employment 19 Article 12: Health 23 Article 13: Economic and social benefits 27 Article 14: Rural women 29 PART IV: Equality before the law, and the elimination of discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations 31 Article 15: Law 32 Article 16: Marriage and family life 33 APPENDICES 39 List of appendices 40 Appendix A: Responses to the CEDAW Committee’s concluding comments on New Zealand’s Sixth Periodic Report 41 Appendix B: Voices of New Zealand women 63 Appendix C: Tokelau 66 GLOSSARY 68 Foreword New Zealand has It is my privilege to present New Zealand’s In the current environment, the government often been at the seventh report on the United Nations is also prepared to try new approaches. vanguard of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of The government’s confidence and supply Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). agreement with the Māori Party has resulted in women’s rights. new approaches to achieving better outcomes In 1893, we led the New Zealand has often been at the vanguard of for Māori women. An example of this is a new world as the first women’s rights. In 1893, we led the world as the programme called Whānau Ora, which seeks to country to grant first country to grant women the right to vote. strengthen and improve outcomes for whānau women the right Since then, women’s rights have been regularly through the development of whānau to vote. extended, so that women now enjoy full and leadership and integrated whānau-centred equal rights in every area of the law. service delivery. Often the gap between Māori women and other women is greater than the The pioneering spirit that drove those changes gap between women and men, so advancing remains: New Zealanders support the idea that Māori development is consistent with our everyone should get a ‘fair go’ and be judged desire both for a well performing economy on their efforts, not their gender or skin colour. and for reducing disparities for women. Hon Georgina te As a result, we routinely rank in the top half- Heuheu QSO dozen countries in the world when it comes to The government’s overall vision is to grow the Acting Minister of equality between women and men. economy to deliver prosperity, security and Women’s Affairs opportunities for all New Zealanders. This New Zealanders can be justifiably proud of that supports our vision for women to have real heritage and the national values that promote choices and to be able to use their strengths fairness and equality. However, we are not to maximise social and economic success for complacent. Although we do well in world themselves, and for New Zealand. terms, 117 years after winning the right to vote, New Zealand women still do not always We are making steady progress on that vision, experience the full equality guaranteed by law. including implementing important criminal Women’s skills are under-used in leadership justice reforms, which strengthen victims’ rights across the economy; women continue to earn and provide greater protection for those at less than men, even when their qualifications threat of family violence – most of whom are and jobs are similar; and violence within families women. We have also put in place measures that continues to be a cause of considerable disquiet. should see further improvements in women’s participation in business leadership and address This report covers the four years since we last factors known to reduce the gender pay gap. reported to the United Nations on our obligations New Zealand also continues to be an advocate for under CEDAW. Four years is a short time when women internationally. We strongly supported dealing with societal issues that require changes the new United Nations gender agency (UN to deeply held attitudes or behaviours. They have Women) at the United Nations, and we welcome also been difficult years, with New Zealand being the appointment of Michelle Bachelet as Under- the first nation in the OECD to officially go into Secretary-General to lead the agency. recession. The focus of the National-led government, elected in November 2008, has In presenting this report, I reaffirm New Zealand’s therefore been on sustainable economic recovery. commitment to continuing the work to In this context, the full utilisation of women’s eliminate the disadvantages that women still knowledge, skills, and experience becomes an face in New Zealand and around the world. I even greater priority. look forward to the Committee’s consideration. i This is New Zealand’s seventh periodic report on its implementation of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (the Convention). It covers the period March 2006 to March 2010. The report covers the key legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures adopted in the review period that give effect to the provisions of the Convention. It should therefore be read in conjunction with New Zealand’s previous reports under the Convention, as well as New Zealand’s Fifth Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR/C/NZL/2007), New Zealand’s Third Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Un-numbered) and New Zealand’s National Report Submitted in Accordance with Paragraph 15 (A) of the Annex to Human Rights Council Resolution 5/1 (A/HRC/WG.6/5/NZL/1). Reference should also be made to New Zealand’s Core Document, which gives an overview of the characteristics of New Zealand society and of the political and legal structures that are in place to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights within New Zealand, including the rights of women and girls. The Committee’s Concluding Comments on New Zealand’s Sixth Periodic Report (CEDAW/C/NZL/6, referred to hereafter as the ‘last report’) included some suggestions and recommendations to improve the status of women in New Zealand. Responses to the recommendations are provided in a table appended to this report (see Appendix A). Information on women’s rights in Tokelau (a non-self-governing territory) can be found in Appendix C. ii Introduction New Zealand has a long-standing of the skills of half the population. – are not automatically leading to commitment to creating a fair and The government sees this as a women and men being rewarded just society. The fundamentals for fairness issue and a productivity more equally.1 The reality is that the equal rights are all in place: democracy, issue. The fact that New Zealand causes of the pay gap are complex, the rule of law and an independent faces difficult economic times – it and there are no quick fixes. judiciary free of corruption; effective was the first OECD country to officially The government is therefore taking structures of governance; specialised go into the latest recession – makes a different approach, focusing on human rights and other accountability maximising women’s contribution providing both women and industry mechanisms; and recognition of the even more urgent. with better information and on vulnerability of particular groups and addressing factors that contribute individuals. New Zealand women The government is therefore to the pay gap. This includes getting were the first in the world to gain committed to eliminating the more women into traditionally the right to vote and have high levels remaining barriers to New Zealand male-dominated trades and of engagement in politics, society women’s full participation in professions, promoting flexible work and the economy. society and the economy, but practices and showing business how acknowledges that it still faces making better use of women’s skills Despite that, there are still areas significant challenges in some areas. is good for them, as well as good where women do not do as well for women and the economy. as men. The main outcomes the For instance, women’s leadership skills government wants for women – more and experience are still significantly Family violence and other forms women in leadership roles across the under-utilised across the economy. of violence where women are economy; reducing violence against Government will continue to work to overwhelmingly the victims also women; and ensuring all women can increase the percentage of women on continue to be issues of immense be fully engaged in the economy – state sector boards and committees concern to the government. Recorded reflect the areas where more work is (currently at 41.5 percent), but the main rates of family violence are actually needed.