[1] Gender equality is increasingly framed as being central to the realisation of both modernisation and economic efficiency, and its achievement presented as a key to good governance.
[2] As a result, the New Zealand government has implemented institutional mechanisms to promote the advancement of gender equality.
In the World Economic Forum’s annual report on the global gender gap, New Zealand was ranked in 9th place in 2016.
The Global Gender Gap Index ranks countries on how far women are behind men in regards to health, education and economic and political indicators.
[4] Despite the gap between wage equality slowly closing, the report found that the government funding allocated to reduce gender inequality in New Zealand is on the low side in comparison to other countries in the OECD.
[citation needed] During the 19th century, European settlers assumed that Māori women were not powerful in society.
[citation needed] The country ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on 10 January 1985, and its optional protocol on 7 September 2000.
As of April 2015, the committee has made 29 general recommendations on issues affecting women that states should devote more attention to.
[6] The legal framework in New Zealand provides comprehensive protection against all forms of discrimination covered by the CEDAW.
[8] New Zealand has also enacted a number of legislative means to provide for equal pay for the genders, outlawing sexual discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace and proposes to set out rights in regards to equal employment for career progression in the workplace.
However, there is a separate broader offence, "unlawful sexual connection", which carries the same maximum penalty as rape.
The equivalent charge of common assault has a maximum one-year penalty and is covered by 'bail as of right' provisions.
[16] The proposed Family and Whānau Violence Legislation Bill[17] seeks to address the limitations of using ‘male assaults female’ as a mechanism to address domestic violence; however, Amy Adams explicitly recommended keeping 'male assaults female'.[why?
In the case of a woman killing her child, she can be charged with the crime of infanticide instead of murder if "the balance of her mind was disturbed".
[20] Law professor Kevin Dawkins from Otago University wants infanticide to be replaced by new legislation that applies to both female and male offenders.
[citation needed] Lifetime experience estimates are less reliable than asking about incidents in the previous 12 months because memory becomes more of an issue.
In essence the relatively strong legal framework is not always effectively implemented and domestic violence continues to be a challenge for New Zealand society.
The government has also implemented similar programmes designed specifically for Maori, Pacific and migrant women which are endorsed by their communities.
[32] A few studies on domestic violence in New Zealand, such as by the Women's Refuge or Police do not gather information about men.
[33][34] In the past century, the gender gap in New Zealand has been slowly closing in and there has been an increase in women's rights and feminism.
The government is making steady progress and it is evident that the fundamentals for equal rights are all in place: democracy, the rule of law and an independent judiciary.
However, many of the remaining gender gaps in New Zealand do not appear to be a conscious disregard to the law (as there is comprehensive legislation in place), rather it is largely based on subconscious prejudice and factors like occupational segregation.
The goal of these programs is to increase representation for women and help them gain further recognition in the economic sector.
[38] The development of different policies towards greater equality in the workforce is championed by the various women's organisations in New Zealand.
The workforce has benefited from the government interaction with women's organisations and helped to understand the change in the various female demographics in the economic sector.
There is a National Action Plan to implement UNSC Resolution 1325, which is dedicated to Peace and Security for women.[41][relevant?]
[42] New Zealand has had a high level of participation by women in public life and this is evident from the modest female representation in politics and the judiciary.
[46] According to advocacy group Global Women, in 2019, 18 percent of companies listed on NZX did not have female representation in their board.
Fewer boys stay in school until 17, 81.4% compared to 86.5% (5.1 percentage points difference) Women are 60% of those who gain tertiary certificates and diplomas.
[56] The Administration Act 1976 (section 77) provides for equal inheritance rights for sons and daughters and there is no evidence of discrimination in practice, or under any informal customary systems.