MEDIA RELEASE
13 August 2004

Action Plan for NZ Women comes to New Plymouth

New Plymouth people who made submissions on the proposed Action Plan for New Zealand women will next week get to hear how their views influenced the final Plan.

Ministry of Women’s Affairs CEO Shenagh Gleisner is in the city on Tuesday to speak to local people about the Action Plan.

In addition to those who made submissions, invited to the public meeting are women's groups, businesses, women in education, Mäori women, and anyone else interested in hearing about the Plan. The meeting will be held at the New Plymouth District Council Chambers, Civic Centre, Liardet Street, New Plymouth from 10am to 1pm, Tuesday 17 August, 2004.

The Action Plan was launched by the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hon Ruth Dyson, in March and is a five year, whole-of-government plan targeting areas that can improve the quality of women’s lives.

“The launch was attended by more than 350 people who had contributed to the plan in various ways, but there are hundreds more around New Zealand who could not come to the launch,” said Ms Gleisner.

“As a result we have decided to visit a number of cities and report back to those who were so helpful in providing ideas and advice. New Plymouth is our third meeting and we have several others planned.”

The Action Plan for New Zealand Women focuses on three key areas:
- improved economic independence of women in New Zealand
- greater work-life balance in New Zealand
- improved quality of life for all New Zealand women.

The Ministry’s role in achieving these outcomes is to identify trends and emerging issues affecting women; to lead policy work and thinking on these issues; and to influence the policy work of others.

Shenagh Gleisner said that as a policy ministry, Women’s Affairs recognised that to effect change it had to work closely with others involved in both policy and implementation and had to be rigorous in its analysis and monitoring.

For this reason there was a strong emphasis in the Action Plan on working with others - including women’s organisations and other government agencies – and on research, monitoring and evaluation.

ENDS

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