A response from NGOs around New Zealand to the United Nations’ Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has found that, despite our international commitments to achieve equality for women and girls in all areas, New Zealand is falling short – and in some cases going backwards.

Te Kaunihera Wāhine o Aotearoa, National Council of Women New Zealand has led a coordinated report from 16 Non-Governmental Organisations to the United Nations, presenting an alternate narrative to the Government’s response on New Zealand’s implementation of our CEDAW requirements. CEDAW requires countries to eliminate discrimination against women and girls in all areas.

“In coordinating this report with other organisations, there was a clear finding that New Zealand’s Government has failed to implement the UN’s call for gender mainstreaming. As the first nation in the world to empower all women with the right to vote, this outcome is a profound disappointment. NGOs are telling us they are concerned about persistent inequality and our lack of progress in areas like poverty, gender-based violence, and pay gaps in Aotearoa,” Dr Suzanne Manning, President of NCWNZ, said.

“The alternate CEDAW report is an important way that organisations can raise awareness of how Aotearoa is performing against the international commitments we’ve made,” Dr Manning added. “We have a responsibility to amplify women's voices in order for our Government to take the necessary actions for equality. We have now seen evidence that shows backward progress in both this CEDAW report and in our results from NCWNZ’s 2023 Gender Attitudes Survey. This should be concerning for all New Zealanders.”

As the first nation in the world to empower all women with the right to vote, this outcome is a profound disappointment.

The alternate report highlights that New Zealand has not seen implementation on the UN’s call for gender mainstreaming and no Government resources have been allocated to resolve this. In particular, Māori and Pasifika women are negatively affected by the lack of a gender sensitive framework.

The report also shows that where we do have women in leadership roles and high-profile positions, misogynist online attacks against them are on the rise. The current unregulated environment leads to detrimental impacts on women’s freedom of expression and public participation rights that should be guaranteed as part of our CEDAW commitments.

Significant social changes, such as COVID-19, climate change and online harm have disproportionately impacted women and girls, yet policy remains unresponsive and gender blind.

NCWNZ and its CEDAW report partners call on all New Zealanders to ensure that we make better progress on gender equality for women.

Download the report

List of contributing organisations

• Community Law Centres o Aotearoa
• E Tū – Stand Tall Union
• Graduate Women New Zealand | Whakaminenga Wahine o Aotearoa kua whiwhi Tohu
• National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) | Te Kaunihera Wāhine o Aotearoa
• New Zealand Council of Trade Unions – Te Kauae Kaimahi
• New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women
• New Zealand Nurses Organisation – Toputanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa
• New Zealand Public Service Association – Te Pukenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA)
• NZEI | Te Riu Roa
• NZPC | Te Waka Kaimahi Kairau o Aotearoa | New Zealand Sex Workers' Collective
• Peace Movement Aotearoa
• Rural Women New Zealand
• The Salvation Army
• Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa
• Wellington Indian Association (WIA)
• YWCA Aotearoa

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