Prior to the colonisation of New Zealand, Māori women held a range of roles and responsibilities in society.

'[4] During the early to mid nineteenth century there were significant political and legal differences between the worlds of Māori and European women.

[5] With the introduction of the English legal system that occurred concurrently with the Crown of England establishing governance over New Zealand, in keeping with British common law, Māori women also became chattels of their husbands.

[13] In the 1920 to 1950 period, there were significant changes in public policy that gradually extended economic citizenship to women.

Policy shifts partly reflected changes in the occupational profile of women from domestic to industrial employment.

[14] Early twentieth-century party leaders were reluctant to allow women rights beyond basic suffrage, but wartime sped up change.

[18] A woman created much unintended publicity over a controversy in 1984 when telephone tolls operator Naida Glavish (of Ngāti Whātua) answered calls with the Māori language greeting ‘Kia ora’.

Prior to becoming prime minister, Shipley held several portfolios, including women's affairs, but was best known for social welfare and health, where she oversaw radical and sometimes controversial reforms driven by Ruth Richardson's policies.

Whilst Shipley was prime minister for only two years, she held some strong and influential views on what constituted leadership.

[25] In 2001 Dame Silvia Cartwright became governor-general, which for the first time in New Zealand's history meant women held four of the country’s top political and legal positions of prime minister (Helen Clark), opposition leader (Jenny Shipley), chief justice (Sian Elias) and attorney-general (Margaret Wilson).

[27] In the ceremonial role of Usher of the Black Rod at State Opening of Parliament, Sandra McKie was appointed, the first time a woman performed these duties in the 128-year history of this event.

[29] Upon the swearing in of list MP Soraya Peke-Mason on 25 October 2022, parliament was for the first time in history represented 50% by women.

The Female Law Practitioners Act was passed in 1896 and Benjamin was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in 1897.

New Zealand's government is making efforts towards improving its overall economic status and prosperity through increasing women's involvement and leadership in society.

When the pressure of the Second World War began to take a toll on the workforce, New Zealand's National Council of Women started pushing for the approval of female officers.

In New Zealand society and Pākehā (European) institutions until the 1960s, women were expected to fulfill a limited role centering on marriage, motherhood, and taking care of husband, home and children.

This division in roles impacted on every aspect of women's lives, regardless of their own talents and ambitions, or their economic and social realities (such as having to raise children alone).

On 10 January 1985 New Zealand ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) with reservations.

[37] The New Zealand government is subject to the United Nations periodic reporting procedures in relation to those conventions which it has ratified.

Early European settlers generally thought that Māori women did not have power and only negotiated with men.

When Europeans settled in the mid to late 19th century they brought with them their ideas about gender differences and inequalities that influenced laws, property rights, education and employment.

[43] Sex workers (many of whom are women) benefited from this law as it provides a level of protection from violence and discrimination.