The number of wāhine Māori public sector board members is on the rise

Women's Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti. Photo / NZME

Women’s Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti says wāhine Māori board members have risen since 2019, and will continue to do so.

Tinetti said representation for women - including wāhine Māori on public sector boards and committees - is the highest it’s ever been with women now making up 53.1 per cent of public board and committee members.

“Total Māori representation has increased steadily since 2019, when data on ethnicities first began,” Tinetti said.

“Māori board members now hold 26.8 per cent of board roles, with wāhine making up 15.1 per cent of all public sector boards and committee members.”

Manatū Wāhine Ministry for Women’s 2022 stocktake of public sector boards and committees shows for the third year in a row, there is equal gender representation on public sector boards.

“The stocktake also highlights that we are seeing an increase of women in new board member roles, at 55.3 per cent up from 54.6 per cent in 2021, and 41.9 per cent of board chair roles are held by women,” Tinetti said, according to Waatea News.Com.

Pacific board members are at 7.2 per cent, and Asian board members 6.1 per cent.

Tinetti said work is also under way to support disabled people to be better represented on public sector boards.

Waatea News.Com