N.Z. Attendance Abroad Urged

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30555, 25 September 1964, Page 2

N.Z. Attendance Abroad Urged

After attending a seminar for women of East Asia and the western Pacific Mrs W. Grant, of Christchurch, has returned more firmly convinced than ever of the importance of New Zealand women being represented at overseas gatherings.

Because New Zealand is guch a small country it would never be able to make a worth-while contribution to women’s movements at the international level unless it was represented at these meetings. "Already women of the developing countries are looking down on us because we have made so little use of our opportunities,” she said.

Mrs Grant, the Dominion president of the National Council of Women of New Zealand, and Mrs R. Hayman (Wellington), the Dominion secretary, were the New Zealand delegates to the seminar at Brisbane. Held by the Australian. N.C.W. as part of the International Council of Women’s programme of work, the seminar's theme was “The Challenge to Women in the Decade of Development.” Delegates discussed it in small groups from the point of view of a woman’s responsibility to her home and family, to her community, and to mankind.

From the discussions, the; women came away with a deeper understanding of each j other’s countries and their ) problems. “This is the wayj to find out about each other’s, way of life,” she said. “We think we have our problems, but theirs seem to) be so much greater. The j women of the East are much | more alive to their responsi-j bilities at the local and na-| tional level than are the! women of the West.” The Australian women' made a tremendous effort to) make visiting delegates feel) at home. Everyone worked i to give the seminar a friendly, i Informal atmosphere. “By the second day it was like one big family gathering. The women talked j freely about their homes and; their families,” said Mrs) Grant.

About 130 delegates at-) tended. They came from India, Pakistan, Thailand, i

South Korea. Hong Kong, the Philippines, New Zealand, and the United States. Two Aboriginal women observers from the Northern Territory of Australia attended with a welfare officer and one came from Papua with an officer from New Guinea.