Human Rights Commission
Media release
Embargoed against publication or broadcast until 5am, 8 November 2010

Census of Women’s Participation records backward slide

The Census of Women’s Participation 2010, released today (8 November), shows that female participation in governance, professional and public life has begun to slide, erasing hard fought gains.

Equal Employment Commissioner Dr Judy McGregor said, “New Zealand is seen as a world leader in ensuring a fair go for women. Unfortunately we risk real damage to that reputation unless there is a broad commitment to genuine change.”

In the public sector the 2010 Census of Women’s Participation notes that although women make up 59 per cent of public servants, but only 17.6 per cent of chief executives and experience a gender pay gap where women earn 15.4 per cent less than men for doing the same or a similar job.

Dr McGregor said the corporate sector should be embarrassed at the lack of representation of women at governance level. Women hold only 9.32 per cent of directorships of the top 100 companies on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, a figure that has barely shifted since 2008.

She said, “At a time when women are increasingly consumers, customers, clients and investors, the question we all need to ask is why boardroom doors remain shut to women?”

Female representation on Government appointed boards had gone backwards, from 42 per cent to 41.5 per cent, and remained 8.5 per cent shy of the Government’s target of 50 per cent by 2010.

The 2010 Census puts forward an Agenda for Change with seven key actions that will make a genuine and sustainable difference. These include:

• the NZ Stock Exchange monitoring the Australian gender diversity reporting and adopting it in 2012
• ensuring that Government departments take concerted steps to close the gender pay gap in their workforces
• Identifying and mentoring the next generation of women leaders.

The 2010 Census of Women’s Participation is researched and published by the Human Rights Commission every two years to help monitor New Zealand’s progress on its international human rights obligations.

Download the 2010 NZ Census of Women’s Participation (PDF 1Mb).

[Scoop copy: 05Nov2010_092940_HRC_Womens_Census_2010_WEB.pdf]

ENDS