Women’s Suffrage Day celebrations planned

Press, 12 September 1988, Page 5

Women’s Suffrage Day celebrations planned

By

DEBORAH McPHERSON

New Zealand women will have enjoyed. 95 years of the right to vote on September 19.

Women’s Suffrage Day marks the anniversary of the day in 1893 that New Zealand become the first country to give its women the right to vote, after vigorous efforts by women suffragettes led by Mrs Kate Sheppard, of Christchurch. Christchurch women are preparing to mark the day with a variety of events, including a feminist conference and a women’s book festival week.

Several Christchurch women have organised a Canterbury feminist conference to be held at the Christchurch Polytechnic on September 17 and 18.

Called "Women and Change: Actions for a Feminist Future,” the conference was inspired by the visit of the Australian feminist, Dale Spender.

“Feminism means recognising that women are at a disadvantage and that it’s not their fault,” said one of the organisers, Ms Alison Kagen. “That’s not blaming men, but it’s acknowledging that the systems and structures in society disadvantage women,” she said.

. The conference would not be a “hate men" session, she said. Topics to be covered during the workshops and discussion groups included education, physical and mental health, creativity as a tool for social change, economics and unpaid work. The emphasis would be

on strategies for change, from personal action and formation of groups to straight political pressure, she said. A women’s book festival will also be held by the Kate Sheppard Bookshop. During the week, local women writers will present lunchtime recitals at the Christchurch Public Library..

The National Council of Women will mark the event early, with its annual Hilda Lovell-Smith function on September 12 at St Martin’s Anglican Church in Lincoln Road at 7.30 p.m.

The event has been held annually since 1973 to commemorate the Christchurch founders of the national council. Miss Lovell-Smith, was a life member who had also served as president and secretary at both branch and national level.