The Prostitution Reform Act was passed on a tumultuous night in Parliament, with the public galleries filled with supporters of both sides of the debate.
Womens Liberation
Events In History
16 December 1977
The Act specified the circumstances in which contraceptives could be supplied to young people, sterilisations could be undertaken, and abortions could be authorised.
22 October 1934
The first working women’s conference aimed to link women with working-class organisations, and was supported by the Communist Party of New Zealand.
18 August 1892
Soon after the development of the modern bicycle, Australasia's first women's cycling club was formed in Christchurch.
Articles
Women and the vote
On 19 September 1893 the governor, Lord Glasgow, signed a new Electoral Act into law. As a result of this landmark legislation, New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world in which all women had the right to vote in parliamentary elections. Read the full article
Page 3 - Women's suffrage milestones
Women's suffrage milestones from 1869 to
The 1970s
The 1970s were an era of economic and social change. Global oil shocks hit the New Zealand economy hard, while protests against the Vietnam War and nuclear testing continued. A new generation of activists raised questions about race relations, sexuality and the welfare system in New Zealand. Read the full article
Page 2 - Overview
Summary of what NZ was like in the 1970s, including our population, economy, popular culture, protest issues, politics and sporting
Suffrage 125
Resources and stories reflecting 125 years of women's activism in Aotearoa Read the full article
Page 1 - Suffrage 125
Resources and stories reflecting 125 years of women's activism in
Page 2 - Stories of women's activism
A selection of women’s stories that reflect key issues and activities prominent during three heightened waves of feminist activism: suffrage campaign, womens liberation movement
Women together
An online version of Women together: a history of women’s organisations in New Zealand / Ngā rōpū wāhine o te motu. Read the full article
Page 2 - Women Together introduction
An introduction to the history of women’s organisations and the Women Together
Women Together
Lesbian
Formal lesbian organising in Aotearoa/New Zealand began in the 1970s. Lesbians faced discrimination and hostility if they were open about their sexuality and chosen way of life, at least as far as the mainstream Pākehā culture was concerned Read the full Women Together Theme
Auckland Feminist Teachers
Auckland Feminist Teachers (AFT) was an active group of women primary and secondary teachers which wanted to increase the influence of women and to promote feminist concerns in the education system. Read the full Women Together Essay
Broadsheet Collective
Broadsheet was one of the world's longest-lived feminist magazines. Read the full Women Together Essay
Business and Professional Women New Zealand
The New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs was formed to encourage and assist business and professional women joining the clubs to take an active role in public life and in community affairs. Read the full Women Together Essay
Coalition for Equal Value Equal Pay
The aims of the Council for Equal Pay and Opportunity (CEPO) were 'to bring about as soon as possible the full implementation of the principles of equal pay for equal work (or the rate for the job) and equal opportunity for women in all spheres of employment in New Zealand'. Read the full Women Together Essay
Dunedin Collective for Woman
The Dunedin Collective for Woman's four basic aims were equal pay, quality childcare, women's control of their own bodies, and an end to sex stereotyping. Read the full Women Together Essay
Federation of New Zealand Housewives
The Federation of New Zealand Housewives developed out of a conference convened by the Dunedin Housewives' Association in March 1955. Read the full Women Together Essay
Home Birth Associations
The twentieth century home birth resurgence arose in the early 1970s, as a reaction against the increasing medicalisation of childbirth. Read the full Women Together Essay
New Plymouth Women’s Centre
The New Plymouth Women's Centre was the first of about twenty women's centres established throughout New Zealand as part of the second wave of feminism. Read the full Women Together Essay
New Zealand Working Women’s Council
The New Zealand Working Women's Council (WWC) was formed to promote the interests of working women. Read the full Women Together Essay
Shakti Community Council
Shakti Community Council Inc. is a non-profit organisation serving migrant and refugee women and families of Asian, African and Middle Eastern origin Read the full Women Together Essay
Women's National Abortion Action Campaign
The Women's National Abortion Action Campaign (WONAAC) believed that the control of a woman's fertility must lie solely with her, and that services providing contraception and abortion had to be established to achieve this. Read the full Women Together Essay
Main image: Mia Faiumu
Mia Faiumu was one of the organisers of a 2017 women’s rights protest against rape culture and sexism in New Zealand
