NEXT magazine has been the voice of New Zealand women for 20 Years.

The magazine, which releases its 20th Anniversary Special Issue on Monday, looks at the two decades and celebrates the exciting milestones for women in that time.

“It’s amazing how much has happened for women in just 20 years,” says Next editor Christina Sayers Wickstead. “Next has covered the arrival of the internet, the introduction of paid maternity leave for women, our first women Prime Minister…and so much more. We have reflected the changing moods of women – from cocooning in the 90s to global thinking in the 21st century.

“Women’s horizons have broadened and this is reflected in our covers in the last 10 years. Featuring well known female role models on our covers, not models has become one of our greatest sources of pride.”

See if you recognise some of the big stories that were:

• 1991 - Next magazine’s first year on the newsstands. The National Cervical Screening programme was rolled out.

• 1992 - By the following year, Shortland Street’s Dr Ropata had returned from Guatemala and the programme was set to become an addiction for thousands of New Zealand women.

• 1993 - Audiences fell in love with Oscar winner Anna Paquin in The Piano. Wendy Pye stormed onto NBR’s Rich List with $20 million. Interestingly last year she was still there at $70 million.

• 1995 – Next covers the breakthrough law for women of the Domestic Violence Act.

• 1996 – New Zealanders elected our first MMP government and in so doing opened the door to greater representation for women in politics.

• 1998 - Jenny Shipley became our first woman, replaced in 1999 by Helen Clark – our first elected woman PM.

• 1999 - Sam Morgan founded Trade Me – women’s new way to modernise their home-based businesses.

• 2002 - National paid maternity leave became a reality. A year later our nation breached the four million mark.

• 2006 – Women were running the country - PM, Governor General and Speaker of the House.

• 2009 - Next magazine reported women’s breasts were getting bigger although the ‘C’ cup remained most common.

• 2010 – The Next Woman of the Year Awards were launched in New Zealand. It was won by Dr Emma Parry.

The new COLLECTORS’ EDITION of Next magazine, featuring aspiring politician Maggie Barry on the cover, also features a very special photo tribute to women by New Zealand’s 20 leading female photographers. The beautiful images pay homage to the inspiring moments in New Zealand women’s lives. It’s a must see.

The issue is all about what’s then, now and most importantly what’s next….

On newsstands Valentine’s Day 14 February.

ENDS

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