On International Women’s Day, we honour the incredible women who have paved the way for progress, equality, and female empowerment. These women broke barriers in politics, education, science, literature and social justice, providing inspiration for our students and future leaders.
The most famous such New Zealand woman was Kate Sheppard, who led the movement for women’s right to vote. Her tireless work led to New Zealand being the first country in the developed world to grant women that right. The fact this was achieved in the 19th century makes her achievement even more astounding!
Kate Edger was the first women in New Zealand (and the whole of the British Empire) to earn a university degree, breaking barriers in education and proving that knowledge has no gender. Katherine Mansfield was a writer whose short stories revolutionised the genre, while Dame Whina Cooper was a lifelong activist who fought for Māori land rights and unity in New Zealand.
New Zealand was also the first country in the world to have a female Prime Minister, a trend that has been repeated here and globally. Our female sporting greats have also brought recognition from the track to the water, the field to the court and more.
We look forward to watching what the next generation of females will contribute!
