National Council of Women of New Zealand

03/06/2026

Not all digital platforms in Aotearoa New Zealand are doing enough to protect those who use them – and that must change. Alongside businesses and other not-for-profits, we've added our name to an open letter calling on the government to make systemic change and you can too! 🖊️📢

Online harm is affecting more and more people across Aotearoa New Zealand.

From scams and impersonation, to online abuse and misinformation — the systems shaping our online lives are not doing enough to protect the people who use them.

That’s why businesses, broadcasters, community organisations and not-for-profits have joined together to call for stronger digital accountability and safer online systems by design.

Read the letter here:https://cdn.sanity.io/files/ysiap3nf/production/40d70f4a4cf8469929edf51144acae498ff207f9.pdf

Add your name: https://amnestynz.typeform.com/to/VLSEgeQy?typeform-source=statics.teams.cdn.office.net

27/05/2026

After more than three years of focused campaigning, this week marks a major step forward in the criminalisation of stalking in Aotearoa.

National Council of Women NZ (NCWNZ), alongside fellow violence-prevention advocates, celebrates this milestone while committing to remain vigilant in ensuring the law is effectively used to protect victim-survivors.

“We thank everyone who helped make this hopeful day of celebration possible, including those who signed and shared the anti-stalking petition, everyone who made a submission, and politicians on both sides of the house,” says NCWNZ President, Suzanne Manning. “Our work together has made real change in the protection of women’s rights and freedom.”

This new law has the potential to strengthen protection, improve accountability, and better support those experiencing stalking - including online and within diverse communities. But its success depends on how it is implemented.

Now, the focus turns to ensuring police and agencies prioritise victim-survivor safety, and that support services are resourced to respond.
This is an important milestone - and a reminder that the work continues.

To learn more, check out the web-based, community-collated resource from the Auckland Women's Centre

awc.org.nz/stalking-response-guide

25/05/2026

National Council of Women (NCWNZ) believes that the Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill is unworkable and unscientific in that it ignores innate variation of s*x characteristics (that is, inters*x people), exclusionary and discriminatory, and breaches human rights.

NCWNZ supports the statement by the Honorable Nicola Grigg, Minister for Women, when she said, "I'm not convinced that this bill will advance the rights and opportunities or the wellbeing of women and girls in any way, shape, or form in New Zealand.”

We urge the Minister to persuade her colleagues that this Bill is a waste of time and money. Time and money which could be used by the government on legislation that will improve the wellbeing of women. Time and money that could be used by cash-strapped and time-poor community groups to work on initiatives that progress the status of women instead of preserving the status quo.

Parliament is taking public submissions for the Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill, click on the link below to make a submission.

https://www3.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-submission/document/54SCSSC_SCF_9E8E8A14-A51C-4567-AB33-08DE9053A7D1/legislation-definitions-of-woman-and-man-amendment-bill

06/05/2026

This week marks one year since the shocking gutting of pay equity legislation in Aotearoa. But this is not an anniversary to celebrate - it’s a time to escalate the push to see these changes repealed by the next Government.

Earlier today, the Pay Equity Coalition Aotearoa (including the NZCTU) and Te Kāhui Tika Tangata lodged a formal UN complaint under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), requesting an investigation into whether the Government’s changes to pay equity laws constitute systemic discrimination against women.

Notification of the complaint, alongside a letter from Dame Judy McGregor, will be sent this week to the Prime Minister, with copies to the Minister of Finance and Minister for Women.

NCWNZ is proud to support this action and will continue shining a light on the real impact of these changes. We’ve been visible. We’ve been vocal. And we won’t stop.

As Dame Judy McGregor puts it:
“This is no longer just a domestic policy debate. It raises serious questions about whether the law now enables state-sponsored discrimination against women, and what that means for New Zealand’s commitment to fairness and human rights.”

This matters. And the pressure is building.

To find out more about the complaint and watch the recording of the live stream, head to the link in our bio.

30/04/2026

This year, we’re marking 130 years of advocacy for women’s rights in Aotearoa New Zealand!

Founded in 1896 by Kate Sheppard and a group of determined wāhine, NCWNZ wasn’t created as a monument - it was built as a movement. 130 years on, that movement is still going strong 💪

The issues we face may have changed but our mission hasn’t. From advocating for the right of women to vote in 1896 🪧🗳️ to representing gender quality in areas such as climate change, online misogyny, and trans rights 🌍🏳️‍⚧️ NCWNZ has spent 13 decades standing firm for equality in Aotearoa and alongside women worldwide.

Join us as we celebrate this milestone and our continued commitment to achieving gender equality in Aotearoa!

Click on the link below to read more.

https://tr.ee/RgUWc4R8Eh

27/04/2026

Meet the speakers for our event 👉 this Wednesday 👈 exploring why the UN matters for women and girls. The amazing panel will feature:
💜 Professor Gail Pacheco, Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission
💜 Jackie Edmond, Chief Executive of Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa
💜 Gill Greer, Board member of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
💜 Fadumo Ahmed, Founder of New Zealand Ethnic Women’s Trust and Cottonseed fashion label

And it'll be chaired by the incredible Tylah Farani-Watane (Nofoali’i, Fai’a’ai, Taputimu, Ngāti Maru ki Hauraki), founder of VAKA to 2030.

This is an event you don't want to miss! It's free to attend, just register online here https://events.humanitix.com/women-and-the-united-nations
Council For International Development United Nations Women Aotearoa New Zealand

13/04/2026

Join us at our next Safety, Health and Wellbeing Action Hub meeting for a discussion on housing and homelessness 🏠🤲 We're delighted to be hearing from guest speaker Jenny Ombler about her research!

👩‍🎓 Jenny is a Research Fellow at the New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities, and He Kainga Oranga/Housing and Health Research programme and is part of the Ending Homelessness in New Zealand: Housing First research programme.

The meeting will be held on online and anyone is welcome to come along! Simply RSVP to [email protected] to receive the link to join.

📆 Wednesday 22 April 2026
🕛 7.30-9pm (no worries if you can't make it for the whole meeting!)

07/04/2026

SAVE THE DATE 📆 In collaboration with United Nations Women Aotearoa New Zealand and Council For International Development, we're excited to have you join us on 29 April 2026 to explore why the UN matters for women and girls.

A diverse panel will discuss the work of the UN, including what's been achieved, current issues, and what the future could and should look like. More details on the speakers will be announced soon! 🥳

You can join in person if you're in Wellington or online from anywhere in the world! It's free, just register here to get all the info you need:

A diverse, multistakeholder panel evernt, where we will explore insights about the work of the UN and its importance for women and girls. Speakers TBC.

18/03/2026

Our sisters at P.A.C.I.F.I.C.A are currently accepting applications for their education grants 🌺 If you're a female of Pacific descent in secondary school or tertiary education, or know anyone who is, check the grants out and apply by 13 April 2026!

𝐏.𝐀.𝐂.𝐈.𝐅.𝐈.𝐂.𝐀. 𝐈𝐧𝐜. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧!

P.A.C.I.F.I.C.A. Inc. (PACIFICA) is a non-profit community organisation that was founded in 1976 with a network of branches throughout Aotearoa-New Zealand. Our 22 branches operate in our three designated regions, Northern, Central and Southern.

From 2002 to 2010, PACIFICA branches fundraised to build an education fund to provide educational grants to assist Pacific students with their educational development and to help fulfil their dreams and aspirations. PACIFICA has been distributing these grants since 2010.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝟐 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬:
1. 𝑷𝑨𝑪𝑰𝑭𝑰𝑪𝑨 𝑻𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔
🌺 Value: $2,000.00 per grant
🌺 2 x grants available per region: Northern Region, Central Region and Southern Region
🌺 For Pacific women studying at undergraduate level who need some financial support to continue their tertiary education.

2. 𝑷𝑨𝑪𝑰𝑭𝑰𝑪𝑨 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔
🌸 Value: $650.00 per grant
🌸 2 x grants available per region: Northern Region, Central Region and Southern Region
🌸 For Pacific females in Year 12 who need some financial support to continue their secondary education.

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟏𝟑 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟔, 𝟱𝗽𝗺.

Preference will be given to current PACIFICA members or close family of PACIFICA members.

Application forms can be accessed via this link: https://shorturl.at/IL0LI
Further details will be available on the PACIFICA website once it goes live: https://www.pacifica.org.nz/grants.

Please forward any enquiries to [email protected]

15/03/2026

The STILL Minding The Gap.nz campaign to invoice the Prime Minister for women's lost wages has seen thousands of invoices sent – and we're still keen to see more!

But guess what? It's new working week so that means another week of women paying the gender pay gap price. So even if you invoiced already, you can invoice for another pay period of unequal pay. Or if you haven't invoiced yet, join the thousands who want to hold the government to account on pay equality.

https://www.stillmindingthegap.nz/