Global Women would like to acknowledge and recognise two of our amazing members on their service and contribution to Aotearoa. A huge congratulations to both Suzanne and Vanisa on their achievement in making the New Year Honours List for 2021.
Suzanne Snively, ONZM, awarded an Honorary Dame Companion of the said Order (DNZM)
For services to governance. Suzanne has chaired the New Zealand chapter (TINZ) of the global organisation Transparency International (TI) since 2011.
Suzanne has played a pivotal role in advocacy and leadership on matters of public and private sector integrity, accountability and good governance, and has been an effective advocate for anti-corruption mechanisms.
She was project leader on two National Integrity System (NIS) assessments which have had positive influences on the New Zealand public sector and on anti-corruption law and policy approaches. She has led the Public Sector Leaders Integrity Forum and has also supported anti-corruption efforts across the Pacific. She chaired the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Independent Expert Advisory Panel Reviews of the Act of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
She has variously provided Board/Director governance or audit and risk governance on the New Zealand Army Leadership Board, the Ministry of Transport, Statistics New Zealand, the Ministry for the Environment, the Department of Conservation, the Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency (Te Pou Matakana), the Health Research Council, Superu, Whitireia and WelTec Polytechnics, Healthcare Otago and Wairarapa DHBs, and the Wellington City Council’s Capital Holdings.
Suzanne voluntary involvement over several decades has included time as Chair of the Women’s Refuge Foundation, the Mary Potter Hospice, and Fulbright New Zealand, and other roles with organisations including New Zealand Opera and the Alexander Turnbull Library Endowment Trust.
Vanisa Dhiru, JP, to be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)
For services to the community and gender rights. Vanisa has been a strong advocate across gender, race, employment, leadership and age equity.
Ms Vanisa has served as Chief Executive for Volunteering New Zealand, Executive Director for the 20/20 Trust, and was National President of the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) from 2017 to 2019.
As National President of NCWNZ, she led and guided the Gender Equal NZ campaign, increased the diversity of the national membership, led the Suffrage 125 work programme, and raised the profile of NCWNZ in the media. She led the NCWNZ delegation at the United Nation’s 70th session of the CEDAW Monitoring Committee in 2018, where she chaired the New Zealand NGO meeting to advocate for gender rights.
She has volunteered on various charity boards including chairing the Inspiring Stories Trust and the YWCA of Greater Wellington. She was a Trustee of Trade Aid Wellington Trust and campaigned to make Wellington a Fairtrade city in 2009. She holds Commissioner roles with the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO and the Library and Information Advisory Commission. Vanisa has been a member of various advisory panels, including for the Ministry of Social Development, Ministry for Women, Inland Revenue and the Wellington School of Business and Government at Victoria University.
For a full list of recipients click below:
https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2021