Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend New Zealand’s Promotion of Gender Equality, Ask about Initiatives to Address Violence against Women and Discrimination against Māori Women and Girls
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today considered the ninth periodic report of New Zealand, with Committee Experts praising the State’s achievements in promoting gender equality and raising questions about initiatives to address high levels of violence against women and discrimination against Māori women and girls, and reports of reduced funding for those initiatives.
In the dialogue, several Committee Experts commended New Zealand’s efforts promoting gender equality. One Expert welcomed that the State party had achieved gender parity in Parliament recently, while another Expert congratulated the State party on ranking fourth in the Global Gender Gap Index.
Natasha Stott Despoja, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for New Zealand, said the rates of violence against women and girls in New Zealand were alarming. She also expressed concern about reports of reduced funding for initiatives to prevent violence against women.
Another Committee Expert said Māori women and girls continued to face disproportionate levels of discrimination. The Committee was alarmed by austerity measures which weakened efforts to fight discrimination in many Government bodies, including the disestablishment of the Māori Health Authority. How would the State party promote the rights of indigenous peoples?
Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo, Acting Chief Human Rights Commissioner of New Zealand, said that although Māori women and girls continued to experience various inequalities, the Government was reviewing the role of the Māori Tribunal and had stopped all efforts to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Government needed to implement the Declaration, she said.
Introducing the report, Kellie Coombes, Secretary for Women and Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women of New Zealand and head of the delegation, said New Zealand’s women leaders had held the role of Prime Minister for 16 out of the last 27 years. In October 2022, women Members of Parliament gained an equal share of seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives, making the State one of only six countries in the world to have achieved gender equality in Parliament.
The delegation added that the Government had implemented temporary special measures to improve women’s representation in political bodies and the defence force. A woman had been appointed as the leader of the New Zealand Army in September 2024. New Zealand also held back funding from sporting bodies that did not have a certain level of female representation on their boards.
Emma Powell, Chief Executive of the Interdepartmental Executive Board for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence of New Zealand, said the National Strategy for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence guided efforts to address the underlying social conditions and norms that led to family violence and sexual violence. The State party aimed to reduce the number of annual crimes against women by 11,000 in the next two years. For 2024, ministers had agreed not to cut the budget devoted to combatting family and sexual violence.
Paula Rawiri, Deputy Secretary of Policy at Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry for Māori Development) of New Zealand, said New Zealand was working to ensure that it was a nation where Māori women and girls could thrive. The Ministry for Māori Development would soon publish reports on disparities in justice, health, education, employment and socio-economic wellbeing. This body of work would yield valuable insights on legislative and policy levers to combat intersecting forms of discrimination against Māori women and girls.
In closing remarks, Ms. Coombes said New Zealand had made good progress toward gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, underpinned by its commitment to the Convention. There was more work to be done, and the Committee’s concluding observations would help the State party to achieve its goals.
Ana Peláez Narváez, Committee Chair, in concluding remarks, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue, which had allowed the Committee to better understand the situation of women and girls in the State party. The Committee called on the State party to implement its recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in New Zealand.
The delegation of New Zealand consisted of representatives from the Executive Board for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence; Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry of Māori Development); Ministry for Women; and the Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of New Zealand at the end of its eighty-ninth session on 25 October. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. on Monday, 14 October to hold a meeting with non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutes from Chile, Canada, Japan and Cuba, whose reports will be reviewed next week.
Report
The Committee has before it the ninth periodic report of New Zealand (CEDAW/C/NZL/9).
Presentation of Report
KELLIE COOMBES, Secretary for Women and Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women of New Zealand and head of the delegation, said New Zealand strongly valued diversity and took pride in promoting human rights and equal treatment for all people. It was the first country where women gained the right to vote and had a strong record of women’s political leadership. In September, the State marked the one hundred and thirty-first anniversary of women’s suffrage. Women leaders had held the role of Prime Minister for 16 out of the last 27 years. In October 2022, women Members of Parliament gained an equal share of seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives, making the State one of only six countries in the world to have achieved gender equality in Parliament. New Zealand ranked fourth out of 146 nations on the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Index.
Since the last report was submitted, New Zealand had had a change of Government. The new Government’s key focus areas included rebuilding the economy, restoring law and order, and delivering better public services. It was committed to the protection of the human rights of all women and girls in New Zealand, the promotion of gender equality, upholding women’s safety and wellbeing, protecting women and girls from all forms of violence, and reducing gender inequities in health. Through deliberate action, the public service gender pay gap had fallen from 12.2 per cent in 2018 to 7.1 per cent in 2023, its lowest level. Work was now progressing alongside New Zealand businesses to develop a gender pay gap calculation tool.
Work towards improving health outcomes for women and girls included the extension of free breast cancer screening for women aged 70-74, which would mean around 120,000 more women would be eligible for screening every two years. The introduction last year of a world-leading self-test for cervical screening had seen more than 80 per cent of women being tested take up this option. In 2023, for the fourth consecutive year, women’s representation on public sector boards reached 50 per cent or above, with women now holding 53.9 per cent of these roles. Women were also better represented in board chair roles, reaching 46.2 per cent – a significant increase from 41.9 per cent in 2022.
Māori and ethnic diversity of public sector boards had also continued to increase since data collection for ethnicity began in 2019. The Global Women and the Champions for Change Group had achieved at least 40 per cent representation of women at board level. Women’s representation on councils was the highest it had ever been, at nearly 46 per cent at the 2022 elections. The online safety organization “Netsafe” was developing an online toolkit for workplaces to protect women in leadership positions from harassment and abuse.
Women’s participation in the New Zealand labour force had steadily increased, from 54.3 per cent in 1991 to 67.4 per cent in June 2024. The women’s employment rate was currently at 64.5 per cent, remaining the fifth highest since measurement began in 1986. Families in New Zealand had been negatively impacted by rising living costs. Recent initiatives to support working parents included a six per cent increase in paid parental leave, and the introduction of the “FamilyBoost” payment to help families meet the cost of early childhood education. The Government had also committed to prioritising a bill to allow parents to share parental leave as they see fit and introduce a three-day stay policy to ensure mothers and babies were entitled by law to 72 hours post-partum care.
Health outcomes were improving overall for women in New Zealand and women had a longer life expectancy than men. However, women spent more years in poor health than men with more medical interventions for conditions experienced across their lifetime. Health challenges were bigger for many groups of women and girls, including wāhine Māori (Māori women), Pacific women, rural women and disabled women.
The State party was committed to gender equality in New Zealand for all women and girls. Despite significant progress, challenges remained, and the Government needed to continue to build on the progress it had made to improve outcomes for all women and girls.
EMMA POWELL, Chief Executive of the Interdepartmental Executive Board for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence of New Zealand, said New Zealand had high and concerning rates of family violence and sexual violence. Women were three times as likely as men to experience intimate partner violence. One in three women experienced sexual assault in their lifetime. In December 2021, the National Strategy for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence was launched. It guided the efforts of the Government, indigenous peoples, communities and specialist sectors to address the underlying social conditions and norms that led to family violence and sexual violence.
The first action plan to implement the strategy, spanning 2021-2023, was now complete, and from its 40 actions progress had been made across a range of areas, including the development and implementation of new family violence workforce capability frameworks and training, and expanded community-led responses to violence. The next action plan would be published by the end of the year. It would prioritise improving multi-agency responses, and strengthening the evaluation of what worked to support investment, further equipping workforces to respond to victims of violence.
PAULA RAWIRI, Deputy Secretary of Policy at Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry for Māori Development) of New Zealand, said that after a period of nationwide mourning of the recent passing of Kingi Tuheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero IIV, a beacon of implicit reverence for indigenous women had appeared through the anointment of a young Māori queen. New Zealand was driving a transformational journey of advancement for Māori women and girls, working to ensure that New Zealand was a nation where Māori women and girls could thrive. The Ministry for Māori Development had implemented research arising from the Mana Wāhine Kaupapa Inquiry on systemic discrimination, deprivation and inequities experienced by Māori women as a result of Treaty of Waitangi breaches by the Crown. An initial tranche of reports would shortly be published on the representation of Māori women in public sector decision-making roles and disparities in justice, health, education, employment and socio-economic wellbeing. This body of work would yield valuable insights on legislative and policy levers to combat intersecting forms of discrimination against Māori women and girls.
The Ministry had also developed a series of national strategies, which were driving better outcomes and equality for Māori women and girls across fields such as justice, child protection, living with disabilities, access to technology, housing and education. It was working to ensure greater representation of Māori women in public sector decision-making roles and within Māori communities. Māori women, girls and families continued to carry the burden of socio-economic inequity. There was much more to do but when Māori society thrived, New Zealand society also thrived.
SAUNOAMAALI’I DR KARANINA SUMEO, Acting Chief Human Rights Commissioner of New Zealand, said the Human Rights Commission had “A” status accreditation under the Paris Principles. Māori women and girls continued to experience various inequalities. The Government was reviewing the role of the Māori Tribunal and had stopped all efforts to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Government needed to implement the Declaration and provide mental health support for Māori women and girls. There had been a recent reduction in funding for responses to gender-based violence.
This year, a report from a Royal Commission of Inquiry revealed cases of torture of women and girls in New Zealand institutions. The State party needed to implement the Inquiry’s recommendations and develop legislation to reduce online harm against women. The social security system disadvantaged women and could lead to their financial entrapment. In 2023, one in eight children lived in poverty in New Zealand and gender and ethnic pay gaps persisted. For every one dollar a New Zealand man earned, Māori and Pacific women earned less than 70 cents. The Government lacked urgency to address this issue. Workplace harassment was also affecting women. The Government needed to reinstate the Fair Payment Agreement Act and ensure the right to equal work for all genders and persons with disabilities.
Questions by a Committee Expert
NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for New Zealand, said that New Zealand had long been a global leader in national development, both with regard to its labour force, being the first country to introduce minimum wage, and with regard to gender equality, being the first country in the world to afford women with the right to vote. She commended the progress that had been made toward ensuring women in rural communities had access to abortion through the national establishment of the abortion telehealth service. However, there were concerns around the Government’s reinterpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi and the removal of several equity measures, including the Māori health authority, and removal of State support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Māori women and girls had reported feeling unhoused, unnoticed and unsafe. What progress had been made in protecting their rights, and in implementing the recommendations issued by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into abuse of Māori women and girls in institutions?
The Committee noted recent steps taken to address family and sexual violence, including the 2018 passing of the Family Violence Act, the Sexual Violence Legislation Act in 2021, and the launch of the National Strategy and Action Plan to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence in 2022. However, the rates of violence against women and girls in New Zealand were alarming. Women were disproportionately at risk of facing violence. Ms. Stott Despoja expressed concern about reports of reduced funding for initiatives to prevent violence against women, and the cessation of a safety-focused regulatory review of online services and platforms before it was completed. What had been the impact of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting on women and girls? Were women and girls of Muslim faith facing increased social hostility in the public space?
It was welcome that the Convention and New Zealand’s reports had been published on the Ministry for Women’s website. Did the State party plan to publish these in Pacific languages? There was a concerning lack of specific mentions of gender within New Zealand’s Human Rights Act. What steps had been taken to amend the Act to include specific prohibitions of discrimination on the grounds of gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics? It was also concerning that legal aid funding for cultural reports had been removed. Around 67 per cent of women in prison in New Zealand were Māori. Did the State party have a replacement strategy for these reports? How many times had gender-discrimination cases been brought before the courts in the last five years, and how many times had the Convention been invoked?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the New Zealand Law Commission was reviewing whether the Human Rights Act adequately protected transgender people and people with diverse sexual characteristics. The Government would consider any recommendations made when the review was completed in 2025. In September this year, the Government launched a Human Rights Monitor, which recorded and tracked recommendations from the United Nations treaty bodies. The Government would consider the recommendation to publish information related to the Convention in Pacific languages.
Recently, New Zealand had changed the threshold for persons who could receive legal aid, increasing access for marginalised women and girls, including Māori and Pacific women and girls. There had been six court cases since 2018 that had referred to the Convention.
The Ministry for Women had developed a working relationship with the New Zealand Islamic Council since the Christchurch shooting and was working to support Muslim women and girls in the community, including to reach leadership positions. The Government had launched an impactful campaign that sought to challenge perceptions of this group.
New Zealand was committed to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Treaty of Waitangi, and the positive outcomes that both sought for the Māori community. The Government had decided to focus on meeting targets in nine key areas, aiming to support families at community level, so as to implement the Declaration. Recent policy changes had affected the Māori community. The Government would work together with Māori organizations to address concerns related to these changes.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert congratulated New Zealand for ratifying all nine of the United Nations human rights treaties. New Zealand’s first national action plan on women, peace and security concluded in 2019. The Committee hoped that the next iteration of the plan would include measures addressing security both internally and externally. Could more information on New Zealand’s feminist diplomacy be provided? The omission of language as grounds for discrimination in State legislation needed to be revisited. It was welcome that the 2023 budget included a gender lens. Did the budget address intersectional discrimination against women with disabilities?
It was welcome that there were six Supreme Court judgements on the Convention. Did the Māori Tribunal apply the Convention in its decision making? Data was part of the Māori knowledge system, and the way that the digital domain was governed had implications in this regard. The Government had reportedly failed to protect Māori from online risks, including related to the protection of their data. How would the Government protect and support access to data for Māori women?
Another Committee Expert said that New Zealand had made history in the nineteenth century by being the first country to allow women to vote. It was welcome that the State party had achieved gender parity in Parliament recently. Māori women and girls continued to face disproportionate levels of discrimination. The current Government had disestablished the Māori Health Authority. The Committee was also alarmed by austerity measures which weakened efforts to fight discrimination in many Government bodies. What temporary special measures was the State party planning to achieve full gender parity in political representation? How would the State party address gaps created by budget cuts in the protection of the rights of women and girls? How would the State party increase Māori representation in local governments and promote the rights of indigenous peoples domestically and internationally?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said New Zealand continued to progress work aligned to its national action plan on women, peace and security. It was developing a second national action plan, but no decisions had been made yet. The State had co-hosted a women, peace and security summit in Samoa in 2019, which had launched a gender defence network that included defence forces from countries in the region. New Zealand had also supported gender mainstreaming in Fiji and the development of the State’s first women, peace and security action plan. There was also a gender focal point network within the defence force. The New Zealand police provided support in eight Pacific nations to strengthen the frontline response to gender-based violence.
New Zealand supported women’s leadership, and equitable access to health and education in the Pacific. In 2021, it launched a gender action plan to ensure that its official development assistance incorporated a gender lens. At least 60 per cent of official development assistance focused on promoting gender equality. The State party published an annual report of official development assistance, which outlined spending on policies promoting gender equality.
The State party had ministries supporting Pacific peoples and persons with disabilities. It had developed databases of women in leadership positions. The Ministry for Women had developed a tool that supported Government bodies to implement a gender perspective.
The State party ensured the independence of the judiciary. Judges and members of the judiciary received training that encouraged them to operate in a gender responsive manner.
The Government had implemented temporary special measures to improve women’s representation in political bodies and the defence force. A woman had been appointed as the leader of the New Zealand Army in September 2024. New Zealand held back funding from sporting bodies that did not have a certain level of female representation on their boards. Women currently held 31 per cent of board-level roles in private companies. The Government was considering policies to accelerate progress in this area. New Zealand was encouraging women and girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths fields, and was working to address online harassment of women in leadership through its “Netsafe” programme.
New Zealand was advocating for issues, including reproductive health and rights, equal pay for equal work, and women’s participation within the United Nations human rights mechanisms. The State had also worked to strengthen language on gender equality and women’s empowerment in General Assembly resolutions.
Funding for the Ministry for Women had recently been reduced by around seven per cent. It continued to work to fulfil its mandate with this budget. The Ministry worked collaboratively with other Government bodies to achieve results for the communities they represented.
Questions by Committee Experts
NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for New Zealand, asked whether the 2024 budget had gender budgeting. Was the Government planning a national action plan on the rights of women and girls?
A Committee Expert congratulated the State party on ranking fourth in the Global Gender Gap Index and for its efforts to reduce harmful gender stereotyping. However, some stereotypes against women remained prevalent. What measures were in place to address these? The high level of violence against women and girls was alarming. Domestic violence rates had increased over the last five years. How was the Government responding to this? How did it protect women who left violent partners? Two-thirds of family violence incidents were not reported to the police. Was the Government considering restorative justice models to address family and sexual violence, and raising awareness on economic harm as a form of family violence?
There had been an increase in gender-based abuse on online platforms, yet funding for reducing online harm had been reduced. Would the State party review laws to increase accountability and transparency for online companies? The Committee welcomed a new bill that would make stalking a crime. What was the timeline for its implementation?
The Crimes Act of 1961 was amended in 2016 to address trafficking in persons for various purposes, including forced labour. How many traffickers had been penalised for sex trafficking over the reporting period? The Government had implemented legislation to address modern slavery, but had this year disbanded the modern slavery leadership group. How was the Government addressing modern slavery? The State party fully decriminalised prostitution in 2003. What had been the positive and negative implications of this legal measure?
The Government had also rolled back protections for migrant workers in work visa and seasonal employment schemes. Employers were now allowed to increase accommodation costs, and visa applications for migrants’ spouses and children were no longer supported. Did the State party intend to ratify the International Labour Organization Convention 190 on workplace violence?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said gender budgeting was not included in the 2024 budget due to time constraints after the formation of the new Government. However, agencies reported on the implications of budgeting for women. The Ministry for Women was not currently prioritising the development of a national action plan on the rights of women and girls.
Sport played an important role in countering gender stereotypes. The 2023 Women’s World Cup, which was co-hosted by New Zealand, had increased the profile of women’s sports and athletes. The Broadcasting Standards Authority monitored portrayals of women and girls in the media and had issued guidance on their representation.
New Zealand’s Crime and Victims Survey showed that there had been an increase in family violence and sexual assault in the last two years. The State party aimed to further strengthen data collection on these crimes and reduce the number of annual crimes against women by 11,000 in the next two years. The National Strategy on Family and Sexual Violence had been renewed and the Government was developing a new set of actions under the strategy. For 2024, ministers had agreed not to cut the budget devoted to combatting family and sexual violence. Judicial and police training programmes had clear curricula addressing family and sexual violence and capacity building efforts were ongoing.
Work was underway to recognise stalking as a crime and the bill on stalking was expected to pass by the end of this year. Economic harm against women and girls was pervasive in New Zealand. The Government would strengthen awareness raising campaigns on this issue, targeting vulnerable groups.
New Zealand’s policy was to not ratify international conventions until domestic law aligned with them. The State party would consider aligning domestic legislation with International Labour Organization Convention 190 before ratifying it. Employers were allowed to recruit seasonal migrant workers in sectors where there were staff shortages. They were required to pay for half of workers’ airfares, provide quality accommodation for employees, and respect their rights.
Work on addressing trafficking in persons was ongoing. In the last 12 months, there had been 17 certified instances of trafficking identified, but there had been no convictions secured related to people trafficking over the reporting period. The action plan against forced labour, people trafficking and slavery was in place until 2025. There had been various policies and laws implemented to prevent trafficking and exploitation of migrants under the action plan. Training in trafficking in persons had been provided for 400 frontline border officials, and fora on combatting trafficking in persons were held annually.
The Prostitution Reform Act of 2003 decriminalised prostitution, aiming to protect sex workers’ rights. There was an issue with section 19 of the Act, which prohibited foreign nationals from engaging in sex work. This section aimed to protect migrants from exploitation but could have a negative impact on migrant workers. Changes to this legislation would require careful consultation with stakeholders. On balance, the Act was a positive advancement for sex workers’ rights in New Zealand, but the State party would continue to assess how it was implemented.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert asked about the causes of the recent rise in gender-based violence. The Expect welcomed the State’s efforts to prevent underage marriage. What these made any achievements? Was the Government working to identify underage and forced marriages that went under the radar?
Another Committee Expert welcomed efforts by the State party to promote women’s participation in sports and address sexual and family violence. What work was the State party doing with perpetrators of sexual violence? How many complaints were reported of discrimination against intersex persons each year?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the cost-of-living crisis had exacerbated the situation of vulnerable families, potentially leading to an increase in rates of violence. There was also a high rate of revictimisation, indicating that some State responses lacked effectiveness. The State party was working with civil society to address this issue.
Coerced marriage was illegal in New Zealand. A Family Court judge needed to provide permission for young people aged 16 or 17 to marry. The police’s policy on forced and underaged marriages had been updated to address a wider range of coerced unions. Sexual offenders were required to participate in 50 hours of counselling sessions. The Government was changing the design of rehabilitation programmes to counter reoffending and implementing awareness raising programmes promoting positive masculinity. The Ministry of Māori Development was involved in community-led efforts to address sexual and family violence against Māori women.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert said New Zealand had made remarkable steps in promoting gender balance. The Inter-Parliamentary Union ranked New Zealand at fifteenth worldwide in women’s representation in political bodies. However, the representation of women in Parliament had recently decreased from the 2022 peak. Some political parties had implemented quotas of 50 per cent female representation, but not all had. Only 29 per cent of the managerial positions of private companies were held by women. Did the State party plan to introduce gender quotas for all political parties? What initiatives were in place to support women politicians and women in the foreign service? What was the representation of women in the judiciary?
Another Committee Expert said that since 2006, persons born in New Zealand were not automatically entitled to New Zealand nationality; at least one parent needed to now be a New Zealand or Australian citizen for the child to receive nationality. What was the status of the bill to repeal this legislation and were there measures to address the harm it had caused, including for Western Samoan persons? The process for granting citizenship for stateless persons was too long and did not have a deadline. Would the State party consider ratifying the 1954 Convention relating to the status of stateless persons?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that in 2022, the Government announced funding for intersex healthcare, including peer support and training for practitioners. The Government promoted a human rights-based approach to intersex health. There was a lack of data on intersex healthcare, but work was underway to collect such data by 2027.
New Zealand had a Harmful Digital Communications Act that addressed online stalking and posting images without consent. Complaints related to online abuse could be sent to the Online Safety Authority “NetSafe”, which could bring cases to courts as necessary. The Authority was pushing back strongly against online abuse.
The issue of gender quotas within political parties was a matter for the parties themselves. There was a push to make Parliament more family friendly. Parliamentary recess periods were being aligned with school holidays and there was a play area on Parliament grounds. Several women parliamentarians were balancing work and childcare. The share of women in the judiciary was 53 per cent.
Questions by Committee Experts
NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for New Zealand, asked if there would be further legal amendments to ensure intersex persons had the same protection as males and females.
Another Committee Expert commended New Zealand’s progress in women’s education, including its endorsement and implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, and provision of educational support to pregnant teenagers and Māori girls. Around 34 per cent of women with disabilities had received no education and there was a lack of teaching aides for children with disabilities. How would the State party address these issues?
Indigenous and poor children lacked access to internet services. How would the State party facilitate online learning for poor and indigenous women? There continued to be high levels of bullying of marginalised children in schools. How would the State party address impunity for bullying in schools? The Government had recently cut funding for the school lunches programme by over 100 million United States dollars. Did the State party intend to revive this funding? How was the State party facilitating the teaching of indigenous and Pacific languages in schools?
One Committee Expert said New Zealand had progressive traditions that had been reflected in its achievements in women’s employment and representation in managerial positions. What measures were being developed to support migrant women and Pacific Islander women to access employment, particularly in the private sector? Was the State party using new technologies to analyse the employment market and barriers to it?
There was reportedly a high level of workplace violence; 38 per cent of women had suffered such violence. The State party had not ratified International Labour Organization conventions related to workplace violence. How many complaints had been submitted to the Human Rights Commission on workplace harassment? What progress had been made in the plan to combat workplace harassment? Had the State party considered measures to support working mothers, such as a four-day working week? Were women able to access employment in fast-growing technology sectors?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Law Commission had published an issues paper on legislation on intersex persons. Consideration of this paper would address increased protection for intersex persons.
New Zealand was committed to ensuring that education was accessible and inclusive for all students, including women and girls. School boards needed to ensure that schools were safe, inclusive places for all students and staff and that students could receive the highest standard of education. There were measures in place to strengthen the learning support system for children with disabilities, including measures to increase teachers’ ability to meet the needs of all learners.
The Ministry of Education’s digital technologies programme aimed to increase students’ access to digital technology for learning and their digital literacy. The rural broadband initiative had significantly increased access to the internet in rural areas. When the programme was completed in 2025, more than 99 per cent of rural areas would have access to the internet. More than 650 Māori communities had gained access to the internet through the programme.
Data on bullying indicated that students with disabilities, poor students and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex students were disproportionately affected by it. Bullying prevention and response work by the Bullying Prevention Advisory Group aimed to foster safe and inclusive environments in schools. The Department of Internal Affairs had developed resources that helped children and parents to stay safe online. The school lunches programme was still in place, though its funding had been reduced.
Education legislation included provisions that called on the Crown to respect Māori persons’ education rights. The Government had committed to a Māori education action plan that promoted their identity, culture, language and rights as indigenous peoples, and fostered educational environments free from racism. Barriers to implementing this plan included the lack of teachers in rural areas.
In August 2024, the employment action plan was launched, which aimed to promote access to employment for marginalised groups, including women. The State party was developing a voluntary calculation tool for the gender wage gap. It would consider whether to make the tool mandatory in the future. Over 100 businesses had already published their gender pay gaps online as part of the initiative.
In 2023, changes were made to the legal system to help women to seek justice when they experienced workplace harassment. The deadline for filing a complaint was extended from 90 days to one year. Grievances related to workplace harassment could be raised with mediation bodies, the Employment Relations Authority, or courts if required. The Government provided 26 weeks of paid parental leave for workers of either gender. Pay was equal to workers’ normal pay up to a threshold of 700 New Zealand dollars, and leave could be shared between both parents.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said it was remarkable that the Government provided free period products to students. Was the State party considering making education in indigenous languages compulsory in all schools across the State?
Another Committee Expert said New Zealand had a shortage of nurses due to the aging of society and the demands of the profession. There was also a shortage of midwives. The wages of these professions were not following inflation. What measures were in place to increase the number of nurses and midwives, particularly in rural areas? What measures were in place to protect persons with disabilities from sterilisation procedures being implemented on them without their free, prior and informed consent?
Abortion services had been made legal and available for most women, but there was a lack of training on abortion for rural health workers, limiting access in rural areas. How was the State party ensuring access to abortion services in rural areas and preventing stigmatisation of persons who sought abortions? What measures were in place to speed up the diagnosis of endometriosis? How would the State party prevent cervical and uterus cancer in Māori women and implement the Committee’s general recommendation 39 on indigenous health?
NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for New Zealand, said women made up 90 per cent of COVID-19 pandemic-related redundancies in 2020. Marginalised women had disproportionately high levels of poverty and women obtained an average of 25 per cent less superannuation than their male counterparts. How was the State party addressing this? The 2023 budget had included funds for free early childcare for two-year-old children. Had these funds been invested as planned in 2024?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said education providers were required to provide Māori language education to all students who wished to receive it. Making such education compulsory would require extensive consultations with stakeholders.
The health workforce plan for 2023 and 2024 aimed to address challenges in the workforce and attract more healthcare staff. Support funding was provided to former midwives to encourage them to return to the profession. Support was also being provided to nursing and midwifery students to help them to access work, with additional support being provided to Māori and Pacific students. The State party had exceeded its targets for recruiting Māori and Pacific nurses.
It was illegal for sterilisations to be performed without consent. Persons with disabilities had the right to informed consent regarding such procedures and the right to refuse medical treatment. The Health and Disability Commissioner received and worked to resolve complaints related to health services. In 2024, the Ministry of Health had implemented a programme to respond to the needs of persons with disabilities and promote supported decision making.
Medical practitioners were provided with training on abortion care and contraception. Self-screening technologies were being implemented to increase cancer screenings. The Māori Health Authority’s role had been brought within the Health New Zealand agency. The Authority had provided health services tailored to Māori, including Māori women. Health New Zealand would continue with this mandate, aiming to provide faster and higher quality health services, including cancer screening, for Māori women.
The 2024 budget included a partial refund for early childhood education fees. The first allotment of these funds had recently been distributed to families. Families could access 20 free hours of early childhood education per week once their children turned three.
New Zealand had a high level of occupational segregation, which led to the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacting women in the tourism and hospitality sector. Support payments were provided to persons impacted by the pandemic.
Questions by Committee Experts
ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chair, said that the 1979 law on sterilisation allowed parents and guardians to make a decision on sterilisation on behalf of persons with disabilities in their care. Was this law still being applied?
A Committee Expert asked how women could lead data governance. What mental health services would be made available to rural women farmers, who were disproportionately affected by climate change? Was the State party implementing relevant international conventions on climate change?
Would the State party follow the Bangkok Rules in its treatment of women prisoners? What legal services were available for migrant women who were victims of harmful practices? Forty per cent of women with disabilities experienced intimate partner violence. How was the State party addressing this?
Another Committee Expert asked about measures implemented to address issues in the family court system, including measures with a gender lens. There was a shortage of family law legal aid providers, especially in rural areas. How was this being addressed? What child support payments had been ordered for fathers in the past 10 years? Had payments decreased? How did the State party train family court mediators on parental alienation? How were family members protected from violent fathers? Was the State party investigating discriminatory inheritance practices?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Ministry of Health was focused on delivering better outcomes for women living in rural communities. It was working to increase awareness of telehealth services and improve transport and accommodation assistance for rural people seeking healthcare.
The State party had implemented measures to increase access to healthcare, including maternal healthcare, for women in prisons and had invested in employment, re-education and training programmes for those women. The Bangkok Rules were reflected in the State’s 2004 and 2005 legislation on correctional facilities.
New Zealand had victims support services and legal aid services that were available for migrants. In 2025, the Government planned to conduct a review of its legal aid services. Migrants, including temporary migrants, who were victims of family violence could apply for a special residency visa that fast-tracked access to New Zealand citizenship. The State party would engage with stakeholders to assess how harmful practices were affecting migrant women.
The State party would continue to increase the reach of training for family court staff. Resources had been updated to increase the accessibility of family courts for children and young people. There were bills before parliament that aimed to protect women from abuse in courts and that removed the mandatory two-year period for resolving family disputes. Judges were compelled to take note of family violence when considering guardianship of children, and to incorporate child witness statements when assessing family violence. The Government continued to pursue improvements in legislation related to family courts.
Concluding Remarks
KELLIE COOMBES, Secretary for Women and Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women of New Zealand and head of the delegation, said the Committee’s questions and reflections showed the time and energy it had invested into analysing the situation of women and girls in New Zealand. New Zealand had made good progress toward gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, underpinned by its commitment to the Convention. There was more work to be done, and the Committee’s concluding observations would help the State party to achieve its goals. The dialogue with the Committee had been positive, constructive and engaging.
ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue, which had allowed the Committee to better understand the situation of women and girls in the State party. The Committee called on the State party to implement its recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in New Zealand.
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CEDAW24.026E