#QuoteWomen2015 recognises women’s contributions

National Council of Women of New Zealand is launching the campaign, #QuoteWomen2015, calling for top lines from women to be recognised.

For the fourth year in a row women are notably absent from Massey University’s Quote of the Year competition, says NCWNZ National President Rae Duff.

“We refuse to believe that only five New Zealand women have had memorable quotes over the past four years.

“The only woman on the list this year is Amanda Bailey recounting what the Prime Minister said to her when he pulled her ponytail. So it's a woman re-quoting a man.

"Women make up over 50 per cent of the population and we're equally as clever, witty, inspiring, cutting, kind, mean and everything else in-between as men when it comes to what we say.

“We're not picking on Massey University necessarily – but we see examples of women's contributions being overlooked time and time again. This includes fewer women than men being nominated in and receiving Honours Awards, women getting paid less than men for work of equal value and women being underrepresented in leadership roles.

"We're not aware of the university's selection process but the over-representation of men on the list is not surprising given they dominate in our media, and at the top levels of sectors like sport and business. There are other factors at play as well including unconscious bias and women being given messages around not speaking up.

"As Michele A'Court said in a great and relevant top quote of ours for 2015, ‘Somewhere along the way we learn that the world might like us better if we just learnt to be a bit more shushy’.

“Under the hashtag #QuoteWomen2015, we are calling on people to come forward with funny, inspiring, sad and moving quotes from New Zealand women this year. Let's celebrate what half the population said.”

ENDS

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