Gracie Hayes, 17 and her mum Nadia Christensen. Photo / Stephen Parker
Gracie Hayes, 17 and her mum Nadia Christensen. Photo / Stephen Parker
As women around the world unite to mark International Women's Day, Bay of Plenty businesswomen, politicians and parents say there's still more to be done to achieve a gender-balanced world.
The 2019 theme for International Women's Day is think equal, build smart, innovate for change. It is focused around creating a more gender-balanced world.
Rotorua District councillor Tania Tapsell said women's rights was a cause close to her heart.
With four female and seven male councillors, including a female mayor, Tapsell believed Rotorua was leading the way in terms of women in governance.
"Now it's no longer a question of whether we can or not. We know we can and we're being supported to do it. It's up to us to make that decision to put ourselves forward and represent our community and families."
In comparison, the Tauranga City Council has eight male councillors plus a male mayor, and two female councillors.
Tauranga District councillor Leanne Brown said while the ratio of women to men was low in local government as a whole, she thought the trend was changing.
Tauranga City Councilor Leanne Brown. Photo / File
"We're moving away from a pale, stale, male environment."
Brown said she thought the ratio would change over time as people became more accepting of females in positions of leadership.
Rotorua mum Nadia Christensen told the Rotorua Daily Post she wanted her daughters to grow up to follow their instincts and be confident young women.
She has a 17-year-old and a 10-year-old.
"I brought Gracie, 17, up more or less on my own ... I was brought up by my parents and told that you've got to follow your dreams and being female is all the more reason you should follow your instincts, be strong and try new things."
Christensen said one of the challenges she thought women faced was other women.
"One of the biggest challenges is competition between other females. We've got to keep being kind to others and treat everybody how you want to be treated, woman to woman, woman to man."
Gracie said her mother had taught her valuable lessons about being a woman.
"She is very positive and looks for the best in everything. Being really positive to everyone is a big message my mum taught me.
"I think it's important all females know real beauty comes from inside rather than out. That's the biggest message I would share."
Gracie said she shared that message when she competed in Miss Rotorua last year and hoped to continue to share that message throughout life as she was learning to be a teacher.
"I want to teach students it's really important at that age they are beautiful and their true beauty does come from within rather than wearing make-up or covering pimples."
Gracie said for her, International Women's Day was about appreciating women and what they contributed to society.
"We shouldn't be there to try to put each other down. We should bring each other up and support each other. It's a day to really become aware of that."
Tauranga businesswoman Anne Pankhurst said while she appreciated having a day for the cause, she thought every day was women's day.
Pankhurst is the chairwoman of Tarnished Frocks and Divas and volunteers on the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce. Tarnished Frocks and Divas is all about empowering women, particularly those over 40.
"I'm a very strong supporter of empowering women and that you can do whatever you wish.
"Everything will have its challenges. Until we're comfortable with diversity we need to do everything we can to make sure women are treated fairly."
Pankhurst said equal pay was still an important part of the discussion around women's rights.
"Women have a right to careers, a right to achieve whatever they want. We can have a career and be a mother in the middle of that. It's not one or the other, it's about doing both and equal respect around career and pay will help," she said.
"I think of every day as women's day. I appreciate there's a day set aside but it's a life-long campaign rather than a day. It really highlights the cause."
To mark the day, the Zonta and Quota Clubs of Rotorua are holding an event at the Rotorua Library.
It will feature three speakers who will explore themes around balance and gender equality in New Zealand.
Speakers include Rotorua Daily Post journalist Kelly Makiha, the former Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner for the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, Jackie Blue, and international human rights lawyer Claire Mahon.
Zonta member and councillor Karen Hunt said for her, International Women's Day was about celebrating how far women have come and how far women have to go.
"To deal with issues of sex, deal with the issue of family violence ... part of that comes out in how we are reflected in the language used to describe women's actions in the media.
"We still have a long way to go before these conversations are something we look back at as historical issues."
Hunt believed women still had strides to make when it came to pay parity.
Mahon, who's speaking at the event said the day was a chance to think about what the world would look like if it was designed with women in mind.
Claire Mahon who will be speaking at an International Women's Day event.
"There's nothing shameful about being feminist."
Labour list MP Jan Tinetti said International Women's Day was a chance to celebrate the success of all women but also take stock to see what can be done to progress women further.
Tinetti said a big focus for her was around pay equity but it was also good to see a growing number of female politicians.
"It's good to be a part of that number but also appreciate those who have been the trailblazers for what we are going now."
