Women of Aotearoa New Zealand should thrive. We are a small diverse country, and our ability to effect change is great. Yet we continue to face systemic barriers to making a full contribution that are related to our gender, gender identity, our geography and for some of us, ethnicity.
Achieving equity requires us to examine existing power structures and dismantle them in a systematic manner. It means prioritising the barriers that are being experienced and focusing on those that will provide the greatest benefit. Access to education, access to finance, removal of bias, supporting equal parenting responsibilities, access to justice, and the long hard push against patriarchal norms.
I have committed my entire professional career to addressing some of the most wicked of societal problems. From climate change to the employment outcomes of young Pasifika women in South Auckland, to the exploitation of migrant workers, to deconstructing the power structures of colonialism and re-designing co-governance arrangements with mana whenua – finding my own way as Tāngata Tiriti.
Ultimately, these experiences have taught me to be equal parts ruthlessly optimistic and deeply pragmatic. By joining Global Woman, I would be joining a community of strong mana wāhine, with a shared intent that will make the process of collaborating to effect change even more powerful. I believe I bring a perspective and experience set that would add analytical rigour and advocacy skills to some of the most challenging issues faced by women in New Zealand.
