- Issue date
- 14 March 2025
69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women: New Zealand Ministerial Roundtable Statement. Delivered by: Kellie Coombes, Secretary for Women and Chief Executive of Manatū Wāhine Ministry for Women as Head of Delegation.
Tēnā koutou katoa. Good afternoon.
I am honoured to address this discussion today and reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as we mark the 30-year anniversary.
New Zealand is committed to advancing gender equality and to improving outcomes for all women and girls. This means supporting women and girls in education and training, lifting women’s incomes, encouraging and developing women leaders, helping women and girls make informed decisions about their health, and improving women’s safety from violence.
Empowering women into leadership and governance roles and ensuring there is a pipeline of opportunities available for women is key to achieving women’s full, effective and meaningful participation in all areas and at all levels.
In New Zealand, women’s leadership has been on an upward trajectory in recent years, and we continue to make positive advances in the number of women in leadership positions in both the public and private sectors.
We know online harm creates barriers that prevent women from fully participating in public life, including taking on leadership roles. This is compounded by intersecting experiences of discrimination, including for Māori, Pacific Peoples, disabled people, and rainbow communities.
Preventing and addressing gender-based violence that occurs through or is amplified by technology is also integral to women and girls’ safety, wellbeing and economic empowerment.
We know that addressing this challenge requires deliberate and long-term action.
The Ministry for Women is working alongside the online safety organisation, Netsafe, and a range of partners to develop tools and resources to help women and workplaces address this so that women can remain confidently online. This resource will be available later this year.
As we come together to celebrate our global progress, we must also work together to protect the advancements made and strive towards accelerated action to advance and protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all women and girls.
Thank you.