What Women Want: 125 Years Suffrage Event
On the 12th September 2018, some members of the RPE team attended a panel-style event called ‘What Women Want’ hosted by broadcaster Alison Mau which marked the 125th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage. The aim of the event was to open up conversations around the equality that women still seek, and how this can be achieved.
We found the event to be thought-provoking, inspirational, and hard-hitting at times. There was a great sense of community and it was also very special having one of our own educators up there speaking!
The event consisted of five very interesting panel discussions. The first panel was the opening overview which was a general conversation about equality in Aotearoa. The panellist were:
Prue Kapua – National President, Maori Women’s Welfare
League
Fiona
Gower – President,
Rural Women New Zealand
Renee
Graham – Chief
Executive, Ministry For Women
Verity
Johnson – YWCA
Brand Ambassador
Erin
Polaczuk – National
Secretary, Public Service Association
The second panel was about Ending Sexual Violence. The panellists were:
Paora Crawford-Moyle – Social Worker and State
Care Abuse Victims Activist
Dr Kim
McGregor – Chief
Victims Advisor to Government
Louise Nicholas – Victim Advocate,
Our very own Laura Thompson! – Bodysafe/Rape Prevention Educator.
Latayvia Tualesea-Tauti – University Student & Welfare Expert Advisory Group
Brittany & Johanna Cosgrove – The Nope Sisters
The third was about Demanding Pay Equity. The panellists were:
Lauren Peate – Founder, Ally Skills NZ
Golriz Ghahraman – Green Party List MP
Lizzie Marvelly – Musician, Writer and Activist
Bev Cassidy-MacKenzie – Director, Diversity Consulting
The fourth panel was about Ending Domestic Violence. The panellists were:
Anjum Rahman – Hamilton
Ethnic Women’s Centre
Deborah Mackenzie – Co-Founder, The Backbone Collective
Ruahine
(Roni) Albert – Co-Founder, Te
Whakaruruhau Māori Women’s Refuge
Catriona MacLennan – Board Member, Rape Prevention
Education & Member of Auckland Coalition for the Safety of Women
& Children
Gabrielle Quirke – Police Family Violence Co-Ordinator,
Ruapehu Area
And the final panel was about Healthcare. The panellists were:
Dr Margaret
Sparrow – Sexual Health Pioneer
Dr Julie Wharewera-Mika – Clinical
Psychologist
Dr
Sasha Kljakovic – Well
Revolution
Sergeant Rhona
Stace – Senior
Prosecutor NZ Police Prosecution Service,
Dr
Huhana Hickey – Human Rights Review Tribunal &
Member of the Welfare Expert Advisory Panel
Phyllis Tangitu – General Manager
Maori Health, Lakes DHB, Rotorua
Isis Mackay – General Manager, Women’s Health Action
All the panellists did an amazing job and The Topp Twins and Michele A’ Court kept us very entertained in between the discussions.