Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Bill

4 May 2006

Lynne Pillay, MP for Waitakere, is seeking to remove an exemption available in law that can prevent women from serving in combat positions in the Armed Forces.

"This exemption in the Human Rights Act is not used but the fact that it still exists is a blot we don't need on our copybook," Lynne Pillay said.

David Lange got it right when he said nearly 20 years ago when opening new premises for the Ministry of Women's Affairs that discrimination against women in the armed forces was offensive.

The exemption is the last reservation New Zealand lodged when it signed the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

A Private Members Bill, the Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Bill, will go into a ballot today.

ENDS

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