Elizabeth Sewell (activist)

Sewell was a manufacturing jeweller and feminist in Christchurch setting up the Pregnancy Advisory Service in 1974.

[1] She was instrumental in the creation and operation of the Christchurch office of Sisters Overseas Service (SOS), an organisation which supported women to travel to Sydney for abortions in the late 1970s.

She supervised two paid employees and volunteers as well as handling publicity and counselling of women.

[2][3] She was one of the organisers of the 1977 United Women's Convention, moving to Wellington in 1979 to become a researcher and private secretary to the Member of Parliament Marilyn Waring.

[5] In 1986 she became the first General Manager of the newly formed Ministry of Consumer Affairs where she strove to move consumer affairs closer to the community and have government recognise the work of the Citizens Advice Bureaus.