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ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE HEARS OF NEW ZEALAND'S EFFORTSTO WIDEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN,'FAMILY-FRIENDLY' POLICIES DESCRIBED, ALSO PROGRAMMES FOR MAORI AND PACIFIC GROUPS
08 July 1998
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Committee on Elimination of
Discrimination against Women
Nineteenth Session
401st Meeting (AM)
WOM/1071
8 July 1998
To encourage women to pursue non-traditional fields of study and employment, the Government of New Zealand had devised a battery of incentives and initiatives, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was told this morning as it began considering New Zealand's third and fourth reports on compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women this morning.
Initiatives to increase women's involvement in international affairs included "family-friendly" policies such as child-care reimbursement, said the Associate Minister for Women's Affairs, Deborah Morris. There were 114 women in the diplomatic service out of 303 persons; 12 of these were Maori. Also, Maori women were being placed in key decision-making positions on
government boards and committees. The Chief Executive of the Ministry of Women's Affairs, Judy Lawrence, said the State-funded education system countered stereotyping by developing a non-sexist and non-racist curriculum. Career counsellors encouraged female students to enter non-traditional areas of study and employment, such as science and technology. Role models were enlisted in the effort to motivate girls and the Maori and Pacific groups.
With Maori representatives, the Government was developing a 10-point plan for Maori, which included maximizing early childhood education, Ms. Morris said. One success story with Maori education was "Kohanga Reo", or "Maori language nests", which provided community-based early childhood education in Maori language, culture and values. About 42 per cent of Maori children in early childhood education were enroled in the programme.
Landmark achievements since submission of the last report to the Committee included a variety of health initiatives, funding for data collection and introduction of the Domestic Violence Act in 1995, the Committee was told. Since the Act had come into force, 13,702 persons had applied for protection. While programmes were designed to be culturally specific, evidence suggested that these women were less likely to make use of them. Various ministries were working to reduce family violence among Maori.
The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today, to continue its consideration of New Zealand's combined third and fourth reports.
Committee Work Programme
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women met this morning to consider the combined third and fourth periodic reports of New Zealand regarding its implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (document CEDAW/C/NZL/3/4). The report covers the period through February 1998, beginning with January
1994 when the Committee considered New Zealand's second report. Statistical data is derived primarily from the country's 1996 census.
According to the report, progress in implementing the Convention has been made in two main areas. First, an exception to the Human Rights Act was removed, which formerly had allowed for discrimination on the grounds of sex in the armed forces and for crew members on aircraft and ships. Second, six areas were identified for government action to improve the status of women, and relevant strategic objectives and actions of the Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, were integrated into the work of the Ministry of Women's Affairs.
The Ministry is the Government's primary provider of gender-specific advice, the report states. It is one of 39 government departments, has a staff of 37 and a budget of $4.546 million for 1997/1998. The Ministry advises the Government on significantly improving women's lives. It addresses areas where women are disadvantaged in relation to men and where indigenous Maori women are disadvantaged in relation to non-Maori women. Gender analysis is used to examine differences in women's and men's lives and to identify the underlying causes of differences.
New Zealand played an active role in formulating the Beijing Platform of Action, the report states. Immediately after the Conference, the Government identified the six cross-cutting themes where further action was to be taken to improve the status of women. Those are: the mainstreaming
of a gender perspective in developing all policies and programmes; consideration of women's unremunerated work; addressing the gender pay gap; the need for more and better data on all aspects of women's lives; the Platform's recommendations relevant to Maori women and girls; and the enhancing of women's role in decision-making.
Since 1996, development and implementation of relevant strategic objectives and actions has brought about significant progress, the report states. Highlights of the progress include: budgeting of $2.25 million for a diary-based time-use survey conducted for a year-long period;
development of a research programme on the gender pay gap; development of employment programmes directed at women, Maori and Pacific people; publication of guidelines for gender analysis; holding of more than 20 seminars on gender analysis for government departments; increase in numbers of women appointed to government committees and boards; and other training,
funding and analysis measures.
In addition, the report states, significant progress was made in achieving other strategic objectives of the Platform. Measures taken include the introduction of a Domestic Violence Act in 1995; development of a government strategy on sexual and reproductive health, including the
providing of oral contraceptives free of charge; implementation of national health programmes and measures; making illegal the practice of female genital mutilation; and protecting children from sexual exploitation by New Zealand nationals in other countries.
Referring to specific articles of the Convention, the report states that New Zealand's Constitution has not changed since the second periodic report to the Committee presented in 1994. New Zealand's Constitution, however, as established by the 1840 Treaty of Waitingi, is increasingly seen in its international context, with governmental institutions giving increasing attention to international obligations and standards.
Measures taken by the Government include the introduction of the Domestic Violence Act, as well as the provision of funding for surveys, studies, research and mainstreaming guidelines. A primary focus of the studies is to identify and address remaining barriers to equality and to inform women
about their rights and about actions they can take to ensure their rights. Emphasis is also placed on the use of the media to counter violence against women, particularly domestic violence.
The legislative change to protect children from sexual exploitation by New Zealand nationals in other countries was introduced in fulfilment of the Convention's article on suppressing the exploitation of women, the report states. Related measures include development of a national strategy to target industries with a history of employing illegal workers, including the sex industry, and the funding of a Prostitutes Collective, along with lobbying to decriminalize prostitution, both to diminish the vulnerability of sex workers and to lower the risk of spreading disease.
Political participation by women in New Zealand increased significantly during the period under review, the report states. Furthermore, women's representation in the judiciary and in the legal profession has increased, and a number of initiatives are under way to further increase the number of
women in decision-making positions. At the international level, the percentage of women in policy positions has increased by approximately 7 per cent. Other significant increases include that of the proportion of women at the lowest policy level of government, which increased by 11 per
cent, and at the highest, which increased by 100 per cent.
With regard to education, the report states there was increased participation in early childhood education programmes and in the graduation of women from tertiary education, both within Maori and non-Maori groups. A programme of curriculum reform in schools is under way. Career guidance and delivery of a comprehensive health programme within the education
system are also strongly emphasized.
The percentage of working-age women joining the labour force has increased, the report states. Measures addressing barriers to equality in employment include increasing opportunities in the public sector, reducing sexual harassment in employment, and introducing specific initiatives for
women's employment.
Overall, however, women continue to work in different occupations from men and are concentrated in a narrower range of occupations. A higher proportion of women than men work in lower paid clerical, sales and service occupations, and within every occupation, male full-time employees receive higher incomes than female full-time employees.
To implement the Convention's article on health, free visits to general medical practitioners for all children under six years of age are provided, the report states. Progress in improving the economic and social life of women was centred on providing access to income support and financial
services, as well as increasing women's participation in recreation and sports activities.
To improve aspects of life for rural women, increased participation by women in full-time agriculture and livestock production has been encouraged and enabled. Small business development and diversification in rural areas has been encouraged, and barriers to participation removed.
With regard to marriage and family life, changes in the law were introduced relating to custody and access to children in cases of domestic violence. Legislative changes on matrimonial property are planned, and legislation applicable to de facto relationships is planned to be introduced.
The report updates the situation of women in Tokelau, a group of three small atolls in the South Pacific.
Statements
DEBORAH MORRIS, Associate Minister for Women's Affairs, introduced the combined third and fourth periodic reports of New Zealand on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. New Zealand women had many success stories, she said. More than 50 per cent were in paid work, and 40 per cent of new business were started by women. Greater numbers of women than men were enrolling in tertiary education.
Among landmark achievements since submission of the last report to the Committee were the introduction of the Domestic Violence Act in 1995; the development of a sexual and reproductive health strategy; free visits to general practitioners for children under six; employment programmes for women, Maori and Pacific people; and programmes to increase the role of women in decision-making and funding for data collection.
Beginning with the 1998/1999 budget, the Government was increasing funding for child care and out-of-school care for low income and single-parent families. Other forms of assistance to women were programmes to help them start their own businesses and develop innovative employment
programmes for them.
During 1996, the Government provided $11.7 million for family violenceprevention programmes, she said. Agencies such as the police, courts and ministries were all involved in developing strategies for better dealing with both victims and perpetrators, and they worked alongside non-governmental agencies such as women's refuge workers.
Another major area of focus was the gender pay gap that was of concern to all nations, she said. New Zealand women earned approximately 80.5 per cent of men's average hourly earnings. That compared favourably with other comparable nations, but New Zealand's Government was committed to narrowing the gap by a range of measures.
Also of special focus for the Government was the changing nature of family structures and norms, she said. Recognizing that an increasing number of couples were living in de facto relationships, there was a De Facto Relationships (Property) Bill, different from the Matrimonial
Property Act. Both pieces of legislation established fair rules for division of property, including with regard to heirlooms and taonga (treasures).
She said progress had been made regarding New Zealand's two reservations to the anti-discrimination Convention. Efforts had been made to increase career opportunities for women in the country's armed forces. In the navy, women could be employed in all areas except as divers. There were no restrictions regarding employment in the air force, but in the army women could not yet be employed in the combat arms trades. Additional progress in the area was expected during the next reporting period. Extensive work was also being done to address sexual harassment in the defence forces and provide an equitable organizational culture.
New Zealand's other reservation pertained to paid maternity leave, she continued. The Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act of 1987 provided for parental leave for both women and men. In 1995, the Ministry of Women's Affairs released research comparing the country's parental leave policies with those of Sweden, United Kingdom, United States and Australia. New Zealand's provisions were found to be among the best in the world, with strong job protection and access to parental leave.
New Zealand was also moving towards realization of "comparable social benefits without loss of employment, seniority or social allowances", as stipulated in the Convention, she said. The country had a universal benefit system covering all medical costs associated with childbirth. A
number of private firms, particularly financial institutions, legal practices and insurance companies, had introduced paid parental leave.
On the question of government support for low-income or unemployed women, she said that, according to a 1996 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study, New Zealand's level of social assistance for single parents was at or above the OECD average, while the country's super-annuation was a leading income support systems for older women in OECD countries. Provisions for single parents were increasingly accompanied by employment training and education. The Social Security Amendment Act of 1996 increased incentives for beneficiaries to seek work and become independent.
In the 1998 budget, the Government announced a work-focused welfare policy, she said. Absolute poverty as defined by the 1995 World Summit for Social Development was not part of New Zealand's economic and social environment, she said. The Government supported the Summit's emphasis on sustained and sustainable economic growth and development as the way to
address poverty, on the importance of productive employment, and on an efficient social safety net.
New Zealand's report included a report from the Administrator of Tokelau, she said. While New Zealand's ratification of the Convention extended to the Cook Islands and Niue, these self-governing States were responsible for entering into and implementing international obligations.
Discussions were being held with the United Nations Secretariat to determine how best to realize their wishes to be represented before the human rights treaty bodies on their own behalf.
Response to Questions
With regard to questions on the first two articles of the Convention concerning the definition of discrimination and administrative measures taken to eliminate it, Ms. Morris said New Zealand's Human Rights Act prohibited both direct and indirect discrimination in a broad range of
specified areas.
A proposed survey would provide data on the amount of time spent by specific groups of women and men on a wide variety of activities, she said. It would make visible such factors as the extent of women's unpaid productive contribution to the economy and differences in time-use between men and women.
To questions about the Ministry of Women's Affairs, she said strategic policy development accounted for 28 per cent of the Ministry's budget during 1997/1998. That would increase to about 40 per cent during the 1998/1999 period.
To a question on violence related to xenophobia, she said the single incident of an attack on a woman of which the Race Relations Office was aware had been preceded by an attack on a male from the same ethnic group some days earlier, suggesting that the attack was not motivated by gender.
JUDY LAWRENCE, Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women's Affairs, turned to questions on article 3 -- measures to ensure women's development on an equal basis with men -- and said parts of the Human Rights Act dealt with racial discrimination specifically. It was illegal to publish or
distribute written matter or broadcast words which were threatening or abusive, or which expressed hostility or were offensive, or had a detrimental effect on another person.
The Government recognized the New Zealand Federation of Ethnic Councils as a national body for those from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, she said. The Federation had excellent working relations with governmental agencies, which periodically consulted with it on policies and programmes to develop and maintain harmony within and between ethnic communities.
Referring to article 4 -- temporary measures to accelerate de facto equality -- she said there were government programmes to redress inequalities in health, employment and training. The Government's equal opportunities policy to 2010 for the public service aimed to eliminate all
forms of unjust discriminating in employment. The policy was based on merit, not quotas.
On the articles dealing with cultural patterns leading to stereotypes and the suppression of traffic in women, she said discrimination on the grounds of sex was illegal and redress was available through the legal system. The Government provided leadership in recognizing equality between men and
women of all cultures. For example, it was placing Maori women in key decision-making positions in government boards and committees.
In the 18 months since the national Domestic Violence Act had come into force, 13,702 persons had applied for protection, she said. The Act included special programmes for Maori and Pacific groups. However, evidence suggested that Pacific women were less likely to access a
protection order, and enter these programmes. The Ministry of Health was developing guidelines on family violence for health providers, which included specific material on family violence in Maori and Pacific communities.
A bill was being drafted to decriminalize prostitution, but a time-frame for action had not been set, she said. A woman working as a prostitute had the same rights as any other person. Obstacles to eliminating prostitution and related illegal activities had to do with the fact that women who were
vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking generally had little or no financial resources and English language skills, or were culturally isolated.
Addressing articles on participation of women in public life and on education, Ms. MORRIS said representation of women in Parliament had increased from 21 to 30 per cent since 1993. However, some research showed that women were less interested and well informed about politics than men, an imbalance that was planned to be addressed for the next general election in 1999 by information and education campaigns of the Electoral Commission.
Currently, 114 of 303 people in the diplomatic service were women. Twelve of those were Maori women. Summarizing responses to questions on education, she said the Government was working with Maori representatives to develop a 10-point plan for Maori, which included maximizing early childhood education for them. A success story in Maori education was the development and growth of Kohanga Reo, or Maori "language nests", which were government-supported and
administered by Trust. These programmes provided a community-based early childhood education in the Maori language, culture and values.
Likewise, there were numerous educational programmes for Pacific students at all levels from early childhood onward, including home-based and parent-support schemes. For female students in general, there were career service counsellors to encourage entry into non-traditional areas of study and employment, such as into science and technology-related fields.
Of all New Zealand university graduates in 1996, 51.5 per cent were women, she said. Of those entering full-time employment, 54 per cent were female. There was a wide range of policies and initiatives to increase participation of women in non-traditional industries through training and
motivational subsidies, particularly for Maori, Pacific Island and other minority women.
Ms. Morris turned to the article in the Convention relating to discrimination in employment. The Community Employment Group of the Department of Labour directed resources to priority groups, such as Maori, Pacific Island and other minority women. The Employment Contracts Act of
1991 had anti-discrimination provisions that enhance women's entry and progress in work.
The Ministry of Women's Affairs did not have the power to implement policies to end pay discrimination, she said. However, it would work to identify factors involved in discriminatory practices, and to remove gender bias. New Zealand had adopted a low-rate income tax system, which worked in tandem with the social policy programme to provide financial assistance to those in need and to mitigate against the negative impacts of taxation on low income families, she said.
Ms. LAWRENCE summarized special measures to recognize the special needs and extra costs of families. These included handicapped child allowances and home help in certain circumstances, such as multiple births.
Summarizing responses with regard to health, she said Maori children were at greater risk than non-Maoris because of the social circumstances in which they lived. They were more likely to die as a result of accident injuries, respiratory conditions and communicable diseases. Strategies to
help them included specific adaptations of the mental health plan that encompassed a youth suicide-prevention strategy. They were also encouraged to avoid destructive behaviours such as smoking, a habit more likely among Maori youth than others.
Ms. MORRIS summarized other highlights of health initiatives taken for women in New Zealand, noting that the Government sought input from nongovernmental organization in monitoring its own policies, especially in regard to the Health and Disability Services Amendment of 1995.
New Zealand's health-care system was predominantly a publicly funded system, she said, with government funding about 77 per cent of all health care delivered. A Health Funding Authority was responsible for consulting with the community to determine the desired range of services and the most effective methods of delivery. As a result, attention had been given to specific issues and problems, such as the self-harming behaviours of teenagers and young adults, and sex education had been introduced into the school curriculum, particularly in view of the high fertility rate of Maori
teenage girls.
Discrimination against Women
Nineteenth Session
401st Meeting (AM)
WOM/1071
8 July 1998
To encourage women to pursue non-traditional fields of study and employment, the Government of New Zealand had devised a battery of incentives and initiatives, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was told this morning as it began considering New Zealand's third and fourth reports on compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women this morning.
Initiatives to increase women's involvement in international affairs included "family-friendly" policies such as child-care reimbursement, said the Associate Minister for Women's Affairs, Deborah Morris. There were 114 women in the diplomatic service out of 303 persons; 12 of these were Maori. Also, Maori women were being placed in key decision-making positions on
government boards and committees. The Chief Executive of the Ministry of Women's Affairs, Judy Lawrence, said the State-funded education system countered stereotyping by developing a non-sexist and non-racist curriculum. Career counsellors encouraged female students to enter non-traditional areas of study and employment, such as science and technology. Role models were enlisted in the effort to motivate girls and the Maori and Pacific groups.
With Maori representatives, the Government was developing a 10-point plan for Maori, which included maximizing early childhood education, Ms. Morris said. One success story with Maori education was "Kohanga Reo", or "Maori language nests", which provided community-based early childhood education in Maori language, culture and values. About 42 per cent of Maori children in early childhood education were enroled in the programme.
Landmark achievements since submission of the last report to the Committee included a variety of health initiatives, funding for data collection and introduction of the Domestic Violence Act in 1995, the Committee was told. Since the Act had come into force, 13,702 persons had applied for protection. While programmes were designed to be culturally specific, evidence suggested that these women were less likely to make use of them. Various ministries were working to reduce family violence among Maori.
The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today, to continue its consideration of New Zealand's combined third and fourth reports.
Committee Work Programme
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women met this morning to consider the combined third and fourth periodic reports of New Zealand regarding its implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (document CEDAW/C/NZL/3/4). The report covers the period through February 1998, beginning with January
1994 when the Committee considered New Zealand's second report. Statistical data is derived primarily from the country's 1996 census.
According to the report, progress in implementing the Convention has been made in two main areas. First, an exception to the Human Rights Act was removed, which formerly had allowed for discrimination on the grounds of sex in the armed forces and for crew members on aircraft and ships. Second, six areas were identified for government action to improve the status of women, and relevant strategic objectives and actions of the Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, were integrated into the work of the Ministry of Women's Affairs.
The Ministry is the Government's primary provider of gender-specific advice, the report states. It is one of 39 government departments, has a staff of 37 and a budget of $4.546 million for 1997/1998. The Ministry advises the Government on significantly improving women's lives. It addresses areas where women are disadvantaged in relation to men and where indigenous Maori women are disadvantaged in relation to non-Maori women. Gender analysis is used to examine differences in women's and men's lives and to identify the underlying causes of differences.
New Zealand played an active role in formulating the Beijing Platform of Action, the report states. Immediately after the Conference, the Government identified the six cross-cutting themes where further action was to be taken to improve the status of women. Those are: the mainstreaming
of a gender perspective in developing all policies and programmes; consideration of women's unremunerated work; addressing the gender pay gap; the need for more and better data on all aspects of women's lives; the Platform's recommendations relevant to Maori women and girls; and the enhancing of women's role in decision-making.
Since 1996, development and implementation of relevant strategic objectives and actions has brought about significant progress, the report states. Highlights of the progress include: budgeting of $2.25 million for a diary-based time-use survey conducted for a year-long period;
development of a research programme on the gender pay gap; development of employment programmes directed at women, Maori and Pacific people; publication of guidelines for gender analysis; holding of more than 20 seminars on gender analysis for government departments; increase in numbers of women appointed to government committees and boards; and other training,
funding and analysis measures.
In addition, the report states, significant progress was made in achieving other strategic objectives of the Platform. Measures taken include the introduction of a Domestic Violence Act in 1995; development of a government strategy on sexual and reproductive health, including the
providing of oral contraceptives free of charge; implementation of national health programmes and measures; making illegal the practice of female genital mutilation; and protecting children from sexual exploitation by New Zealand nationals in other countries.
Referring to specific articles of the Convention, the report states that New Zealand's Constitution has not changed since the second periodic report to the Committee presented in 1994. New Zealand's Constitution, however, as established by the 1840 Treaty of Waitingi, is increasingly seen in its international context, with governmental institutions giving increasing attention to international obligations and standards.
Measures taken by the Government include the introduction of the Domestic Violence Act, as well as the provision of funding for surveys, studies, research and mainstreaming guidelines. A primary focus of the studies is to identify and address remaining barriers to equality and to inform women
about their rights and about actions they can take to ensure their rights. Emphasis is also placed on the use of the media to counter violence against women, particularly domestic violence.
The legislative change to protect children from sexual exploitation by New Zealand nationals in other countries was introduced in fulfilment of the Convention's article on suppressing the exploitation of women, the report states. Related measures include development of a national strategy to target industries with a history of employing illegal workers, including the sex industry, and the funding of a Prostitutes Collective, along with lobbying to decriminalize prostitution, both to diminish the vulnerability of sex workers and to lower the risk of spreading disease.
Political participation by women in New Zealand increased significantly during the period under review, the report states. Furthermore, women's representation in the judiciary and in the legal profession has increased, and a number of initiatives are under way to further increase the number of
women in decision-making positions. At the international level, the percentage of women in policy positions has increased by approximately 7 per cent. Other significant increases include that of the proportion of women at the lowest policy level of government, which increased by 11 per
cent, and at the highest, which increased by 100 per cent.
With regard to education, the report states there was increased participation in early childhood education programmes and in the graduation of women from tertiary education, both within Maori and non-Maori groups. A programme of curriculum reform in schools is under way. Career guidance and delivery of a comprehensive health programme within the education
system are also strongly emphasized.
The percentage of working-age women joining the labour force has increased, the report states. Measures addressing barriers to equality in employment include increasing opportunities in the public sector, reducing sexual harassment in employment, and introducing specific initiatives for
women's employment.
Overall, however, women continue to work in different occupations from men and are concentrated in a narrower range of occupations. A higher proportion of women than men work in lower paid clerical, sales and service occupations, and within every occupation, male full-time employees receive higher incomes than female full-time employees.
To implement the Convention's article on health, free visits to general medical practitioners for all children under six years of age are provided, the report states. Progress in improving the economic and social life of women was centred on providing access to income support and financial
services, as well as increasing women's participation in recreation and sports activities.
To improve aspects of life for rural women, increased participation by women in full-time agriculture and livestock production has been encouraged and enabled. Small business development and diversification in rural areas has been encouraged, and barriers to participation removed.
With regard to marriage and family life, changes in the law were introduced relating to custody and access to children in cases of domestic violence. Legislative changes on matrimonial property are planned, and legislation applicable to de facto relationships is planned to be introduced.
The report updates the situation of women in Tokelau, a group of three small atolls in the South Pacific.
Statements
DEBORAH MORRIS, Associate Minister for Women's Affairs, introduced the combined third and fourth periodic reports of New Zealand on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. New Zealand women had many success stories, she said. More than 50 per cent were in paid work, and 40 per cent of new business were started by women. Greater numbers of women than men were enrolling in tertiary education.
Among landmark achievements since submission of the last report to the Committee were the introduction of the Domestic Violence Act in 1995; the development of a sexual and reproductive health strategy; free visits to general practitioners for children under six; employment programmes for women, Maori and Pacific people; and programmes to increase the role of women in decision-making and funding for data collection.
Beginning with the 1998/1999 budget, the Government was increasing funding for child care and out-of-school care for low income and single-parent families. Other forms of assistance to women were programmes to help them start their own businesses and develop innovative employment
programmes for them.
During 1996, the Government provided $11.7 million for family violenceprevention programmes, she said. Agencies such as the police, courts and ministries were all involved in developing strategies for better dealing with both victims and perpetrators, and they worked alongside non-governmental agencies such as women's refuge workers.
Another major area of focus was the gender pay gap that was of concern to all nations, she said. New Zealand women earned approximately 80.5 per cent of men's average hourly earnings. That compared favourably with other comparable nations, but New Zealand's Government was committed to narrowing the gap by a range of measures.
Also of special focus for the Government was the changing nature of family structures and norms, she said. Recognizing that an increasing number of couples were living in de facto relationships, there was a De Facto Relationships (Property) Bill, different from the Matrimonial
Property Act. Both pieces of legislation established fair rules for division of property, including with regard to heirlooms and taonga (treasures).
She said progress had been made regarding New Zealand's two reservations to the anti-discrimination Convention. Efforts had been made to increase career opportunities for women in the country's armed forces. In the navy, women could be employed in all areas except as divers. There were no restrictions regarding employment in the air force, but in the army women could not yet be employed in the combat arms trades. Additional progress in the area was expected during the next reporting period. Extensive work was also being done to address sexual harassment in the defence forces and provide an equitable organizational culture.
New Zealand's other reservation pertained to paid maternity leave, she continued. The Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act of 1987 provided for parental leave for both women and men. In 1995, the Ministry of Women's Affairs released research comparing the country's parental leave policies with those of Sweden, United Kingdom, United States and Australia. New Zealand's provisions were found to be among the best in the world, with strong job protection and access to parental leave.
New Zealand was also moving towards realization of "comparable social benefits without loss of employment, seniority or social allowances", as stipulated in the Convention, she said. The country had a universal benefit system covering all medical costs associated with childbirth. A
number of private firms, particularly financial institutions, legal practices and insurance companies, had introduced paid parental leave.
On the question of government support for low-income or unemployed women, she said that, according to a 1996 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study, New Zealand's level of social assistance for single parents was at or above the OECD average, while the country's super-annuation was a leading income support systems for older women in OECD countries. Provisions for single parents were increasingly accompanied by employment training and education. The Social Security Amendment Act of 1996 increased incentives for beneficiaries to seek work and become independent.
In the 1998 budget, the Government announced a work-focused welfare policy, she said. Absolute poverty as defined by the 1995 World Summit for Social Development was not part of New Zealand's economic and social environment, she said. The Government supported the Summit's emphasis on sustained and sustainable economic growth and development as the way to
address poverty, on the importance of productive employment, and on an efficient social safety net.
New Zealand's report included a report from the Administrator of Tokelau, she said. While New Zealand's ratification of the Convention extended to the Cook Islands and Niue, these self-governing States were responsible for entering into and implementing international obligations.
Discussions were being held with the United Nations Secretariat to determine how best to realize their wishes to be represented before the human rights treaty bodies on their own behalf.
Response to Questions
With regard to questions on the first two articles of the Convention concerning the definition of discrimination and administrative measures taken to eliminate it, Ms. Morris said New Zealand's Human Rights Act prohibited both direct and indirect discrimination in a broad range of
specified areas.
A proposed survey would provide data on the amount of time spent by specific groups of women and men on a wide variety of activities, she said. It would make visible such factors as the extent of women's unpaid productive contribution to the economy and differences in time-use between men and women.
To questions about the Ministry of Women's Affairs, she said strategic policy development accounted for 28 per cent of the Ministry's budget during 1997/1998. That would increase to about 40 per cent during the 1998/1999 period.
To a question on violence related to xenophobia, she said the single incident of an attack on a woman of which the Race Relations Office was aware had been preceded by an attack on a male from the same ethnic group some days earlier, suggesting that the attack was not motivated by gender.
JUDY LAWRENCE, Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women's Affairs, turned to questions on article 3 -- measures to ensure women's development on an equal basis with men -- and said parts of the Human Rights Act dealt with racial discrimination specifically. It was illegal to publish or
distribute written matter or broadcast words which were threatening or abusive, or which expressed hostility or were offensive, or had a detrimental effect on another person.
The Government recognized the New Zealand Federation of Ethnic Councils as a national body for those from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, she said. The Federation had excellent working relations with governmental agencies, which periodically consulted with it on policies and programmes to develop and maintain harmony within and between ethnic communities.
Referring to article 4 -- temporary measures to accelerate de facto equality -- she said there were government programmes to redress inequalities in health, employment and training. The Government's equal opportunities policy to 2010 for the public service aimed to eliminate all
forms of unjust discriminating in employment. The policy was based on merit, not quotas.
On the articles dealing with cultural patterns leading to stereotypes and the suppression of traffic in women, she said discrimination on the grounds of sex was illegal and redress was available through the legal system. The Government provided leadership in recognizing equality between men and
women of all cultures. For example, it was placing Maori women in key decision-making positions in government boards and committees.
In the 18 months since the national Domestic Violence Act had come into force, 13,702 persons had applied for protection, she said. The Act included special programmes for Maori and Pacific groups. However, evidence suggested that Pacific women were less likely to access a
protection order, and enter these programmes. The Ministry of Health was developing guidelines on family violence for health providers, which included specific material on family violence in Maori and Pacific communities.
A bill was being drafted to decriminalize prostitution, but a time-frame for action had not been set, she said. A woman working as a prostitute had the same rights as any other person. Obstacles to eliminating prostitution and related illegal activities had to do with the fact that women who were
vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking generally had little or no financial resources and English language skills, or were culturally isolated.
Addressing articles on participation of women in public life and on education, Ms. MORRIS said representation of women in Parliament had increased from 21 to 30 per cent since 1993. However, some research showed that women were less interested and well informed about politics than men, an imbalance that was planned to be addressed for the next general election in 1999 by information and education campaigns of the Electoral Commission.
Currently, 114 of 303 people in the diplomatic service were women. Twelve of those were Maori women. Summarizing responses to questions on education, she said the Government was working with Maori representatives to develop a 10-point plan for Maori, which included maximizing early childhood education for them. A success story in Maori education was the development and growth of Kohanga Reo, or Maori "language nests", which were government-supported and
administered by Trust. These programmes provided a community-based early childhood education in the Maori language, culture and values.
Likewise, there were numerous educational programmes for Pacific students at all levels from early childhood onward, including home-based and parent-support schemes. For female students in general, there were career service counsellors to encourage entry into non-traditional areas of study and employment, such as into science and technology-related fields.
Of all New Zealand university graduates in 1996, 51.5 per cent were women, she said. Of those entering full-time employment, 54 per cent were female. There was a wide range of policies and initiatives to increase participation of women in non-traditional industries through training and
motivational subsidies, particularly for Maori, Pacific Island and other minority women.
Ms. Morris turned to the article in the Convention relating to discrimination in employment. The Community Employment Group of the Department of Labour directed resources to priority groups, such as Maori, Pacific Island and other minority women. The Employment Contracts Act of
1991 had anti-discrimination provisions that enhance women's entry and progress in work.
The Ministry of Women's Affairs did not have the power to implement policies to end pay discrimination, she said. However, it would work to identify factors involved in discriminatory practices, and to remove gender bias. New Zealand had adopted a low-rate income tax system, which worked in tandem with the social policy programme to provide financial assistance to those in need and to mitigate against the negative impacts of taxation on low income families, she said.
Ms. LAWRENCE summarized special measures to recognize the special needs and extra costs of families. These included handicapped child allowances and home help in certain circumstances, such as multiple births.
Summarizing responses with regard to health, she said Maori children were at greater risk than non-Maoris because of the social circumstances in which they lived. They were more likely to die as a result of accident injuries, respiratory conditions and communicable diseases. Strategies to
help them included specific adaptations of the mental health plan that encompassed a youth suicide-prevention strategy. They were also encouraged to avoid destructive behaviours such as smoking, a habit more likely among Maori youth than others.
Ms. MORRIS summarized other highlights of health initiatives taken for women in New Zealand, noting that the Government sought input from nongovernmental organization in monitoring its own policies, especially in regard to the Health and Disability Services Amendment of 1995.
New Zealand's health-care system was predominantly a publicly funded system, she said, with government funding about 77 per cent of all health care delivered. A Health Funding Authority was responsible for consulting with the community to determine the desired range of services and the most effective methods of delivery. As a result, attention had been given to specific issues and problems, such as the self-harming behaviours of teenagers and young adults, and sex education had been introduced into the school curriculum, particularly in view of the high fertility rate of Maori
teenage girls.