WOMEN'S STATUS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 91, 17 April 1936, Page 11

WOMEN'S STATUS.

A WORLD-WIDE ISSUE.

AUSTRALIAN DELEGATE'S OPINION

After 15 months away, during wliich time she attended three important conferences abroad, Mrs. B. M. Rischbietli, J.P., 0.8. E., of Perth, West Australia, arrived in Auckland by the Mariposa this morning on her way home. Mrs. Rischbietli is the president of the Australian Federation of Women Voters, and was the Government alternate woman delegate to the 16th Assembly of the League of Nations, Geneva, 1935. Mrs. Rischbietli is a feminist of the ideal type. Highly perceptive and completely competent, she chats in a most inspiring way, and with a human twinkle, about subjects such as the equal status of women, pacifism, and women's progress in the changing conditions of the world—things about which the average New Zealand woman is apathetic. According to Mrs. Eischbieth, the women of Australia are aware of their civic duties and responsibilities. The women's movement throughout the world, she said, stood for equality between men and women under the law and in all human relationships. It stood for justice in place of force. It was 50,000,000 strong to-day, with eight major international bodies of women who were meeting in Geneva, where 54 Governments were deciding many questions that affect the status of women socially, economically and politically. The Australian Federation of Women Voters are affiliated with the International Alliance for Suffrage and Equal Citizenship, and therefore have bridges, in a direct way, over to the world-focusing centre. While thoroughly approving of the philanthropic work which so many women's organisations carried out, Mrs. Rischbieth felt that it was not quite enough. Women must seriously consider" their status; it was not merely a national question, but a world issue, and women's position must be clearly defined if there were to be a balanced society.

The question was often asked abroad wliv New Zealand, who was the first country to have women's suffrage, had no delegate at European conferences. Such a -state of affairs meant that the women of the country had failed. The sending of delegates abroad was stimulating' to the movement. The representative was able to meet women of extraordinary calibre, and through such contacts, she was, 011 her return to her own country, able to impart the stimulating experiences. At the last assembly, 18 nations had included women in their delegations. This was the largest number, so far, to attend. "We want to increase that number," said Mrs. Risclibietli, "and hope that New Zealand, which is a British possession, will send a delegate."

Women's Position Discussed. The fact that the status of women was on the agenda for the consideration of the first commission showed that women were aware, under this changing world, that their social position was challenged in every country. As a result of the discussion, the assembly passed a resolution asking tlie secretarygeneral to communicate with every Government for information on the civil, political, economic and social of the women in their different countiies. The question will come up again, and if that is not a challenge to the women of the world, what is, she asked. The British women, said Mrs. Rischbeith, were very competent. Their sanity was fine. It 'was indeed encouraging to see the number of alert, educated, highly qualified younger women, not only realising their responsibilities, but actively doing something about them. The women's movement in England suffered a severe blow recently in the death of one of their most brilliant younger women, Winifred Holtbv. Mrs. Rischbeith had heard her address a meeting in London. "Tall, slim and fair, she stood like a lovely lily. Her poise was remarkable and she marshalled her facts with penetrating calm. She was indeed an inspiration in the movement," said Mrs. Rischbeith. While away Mrs. Rischbeith also attended the twelfth conference of the International Alliance of Women for Suffrage and Equal Citizenship, held in Turkey. This was the first time an international conference had been held in a Moslem country and gave the Australian delegates an opportunity ot passing right over Europe to the eastern side and getting a glimpse of the insecurity of middle Europe. The Turkisn women, said Mrs. Rischbeith, had made "Teat progress. Their modern freedom dated back to the Turkish revolution in 1908. when they were still in the harem and when they made up their minds to educate their sons and daughters tor to-dav. The members of the present Union of Turkish Women were the daughters of those young republicans in IOOsT The Turkish women were well educated. There was now no State religion, and they had discarded the veil? That there were 17 women depu- j ties in the Turkish Parliament (who were introduced one by one to the con - j ference) was a distinct challenge to the ' women of Australia and New Zealand to i work for greater representation in thenown Governments.