Women had to fight hard for advances

Press, 31 May 1985, Page 5

Women had to fight hard for advances

In spite of significant advances in women’s rights over the last 10 years, many women were still unware of how hard the fight had been to win them according to the organiser of the Women’s Decade Festival in Christchurch, Mrs Grace Hollander. Many women who had taken no part in instigating the changes accepted the advantages without realising the fight it had taken to get them. Mrs Hollander cited the vote as an example. Women took the vote for granted today, and forgot the hard battle some women fought to get it. Mrs Hollander is convener of the organising committee for this weekend’s festival. The festival, which will be attended by hundreds of women from as far as Auckland and Invercargill, will mark the end of the United Nations Decade for Women. The decade started at the conclusion of the United Nations International Year for Women, in 1975. Whereas the “year" awakened people to the need to improve the status of women, the decade gave then time to do something

about it. said Mrs Hollander. The aims of the decade differed in different countries. In developing countries the emphasis was on improving the basic living standard, whereas in Western countries the focus was on encouraging legislation which would give women equality with men. For Mrs Hollander, who was president of the National Council of Women and a representative at the inauguration ceremony of the Year for Women in Paris in 1975, her involvement with the decade’s conclusion is apt. She has seen a myriad of changes over the decade, particularly in legislation and in attitudes, although these are tempered with “room for improvement.” Acts for human rights, equal pay. division of matrimonial property, and domestic protection as well as the development of family courts had all improved the status of women in New Zealand, said Mrs Hollander. Many women's aid and support groups had sprung up. They included women's refuge centres, rape crisis groups, alternative health

centres, and research groups. Unions now talked about sexual harassment and childcare, and maternity leave was allowed for in awards. Ten years ago a “token woman” might be appointed to a board or commission, but now, even if not predominant, women were included far more readily on boards, commissions, and in local and central Government. Women were working in jobs which had been traditionally male-dominated, such as law, medicine, accounting, and various trades. There was, however, still room for improvement. “We are still fighting prejudice and tradition.” All working women knew that they still did not have equality of opportunity or salary with men, said Mrs Hollander. Although women were in positions of responsibility, the numbers did not reflect the numbers of suitably qualified women. Mrs Hollander is also concerned about the effect of apparent increasing violence in society, some of it directed at women, and the lack of recognition of the

skills of women involved in volunteer work. Attitudes towards the role of women had changed. It was understood that women wanted to be recognised as people in their own right. The changes meant that women now had choices. They were no longer expected to be a reflection of their husbands and brothers. They could choose to work in the home, pursue a career, or combine both. However, although they might have the choice, realistically there were still problems attaining it, said

Mrs Hollander, as there were not enough facilities yet to cater for those who wanted to work and also raise children. One of Mrs Hollander’s favourite quotations was said by the anthropologist, Margaret Meads, at a conference in Wellington in 1977: “A woman’s place is in the world.” Much credit for the decade’s changes was given to the radical feminists. They were the spearhead of the decade’s changes, said Mrs Hollander. While some people might not approve of the way they went about it or some of the things they did, they still had to acknowledge that those feminists were the pioneers of the movement. However, the more moderate “feminists" were just as active behind the scenes. Organisations such as the National Council of Women had been gathering facts and quietly pushing for women’s equality since the 1890 s, said Mrs Hollander. Most of those pioneers now recognised the need for an equal partnership of women and men. “I think we have got to the stage where we must have consensus and work

together.” Such consensus was apparent in the festival’s organising committee, said Mrs Hollander. Although it included about 30 women of diverging views, all had worked well together to organise the weekend event. There were some women and men who claimed to be anti-feminist. Such a stance was usually a result of poor communication and varying definitions of “feminism,” she said. Mrs Hollander described herself as a feminist because she worked for the improvement of women but in so doing was also working towards the improvement of mankind. “Improve the status of half the population and you automatically improve the status of the other half," she said. She was also angered by the claims of some people that women who went out to work were breaking up the family unit. Women worked outside the home for either economic or self-fulfilling reasons, she said. To blame the break-up of the family unit on working mothers was unfair. Today, both parents had an equal

responsibility for the care of the family. This week-end’s festival would consider the changes over the decade and also look to the future, said Mrs Hollander. It will begin with a public opening at the Christchurch Town Hall this evening. Included in the programme are addresses by the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Hercus; the director of the Australian Equal Opportunity Employment Bureau, Dr Gail Radford; and the president of the International Council of Women, Dame Miriam Dell. The poet, Ken Hulme, will open the evening with a special poem for women.

Seventy-four workshops will be held at Christchurch Teachers’ College tomorrow over three session times. They range from pregnancy and childbirth to stress management.

Sunday will feature an inter-faith service and forum on the future, and Monday will be devoted to various physical activities. Late registrations for workshops with vacancies will be accepted at the Town Hall this evening or at the Teachers' College tomorrow morning.