Mid-term report on Women’s Affairs

Press, 7 February 1986, Page 26

Mid-term report on Women’s Affairs

PA Wellington Substantial progress had been made in implementing the Government’s programme of equality for women, the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Hercus, has said.

A report on the midterm progress of the Ministry showed the initiatives it had made in its few months of existence, she said. It also contained analyses from other Government departments of their progress in implementing policy of particular interest to women.

“This report shows that Government departments in New Zealand — as well as organisations like the National Art Gallery, the Prime Minister’s Department, and local government — are being made to account for their performance in the field of women’s policy,” Mrs Hercus said.

“Scores of new policies are now in place, and

planning for further reform will continue. “The role of women wherever they work — in the home, in the community, in the paid workforce — is being reflected and recognised in a planned and positive way by the Government”

The 86-page report traced the Ministry’s progress since it was set up in March last year. It said that although much of its time had been spent on setting the Ministry up, there had been extensive Involvement in some areas of the Government’s women’s policy and substantial progress had been made.

Among items listed were:

• Discussions with other Government agencies on planning affirmative action for women in employment. • Participation in a committee to review the Maternity Leave and Employment Protection Act.

@ Promoting the value of women’s work in the home and the community.

• Helping to establish a Women’s Advisory Committee on Education.

• Planning to set up a Maori Women’s Secretariat within the Ministry. 9 Funding women’s projects. • Meeting news media representatives on representing women in the media.

• Funding of rape crisis and sexual abuse centres.

O Participation in the first national conference on family violence in September, 1985. • Undertaking a major review with the Social Welfare and Justice departments on women’s refuges. The report also lists replies from Government departments on progress to date on implementation of broad sections of the Government’s 1984 manifesto on women’s policy.