Recession ‘may benefit women’

Press, 27 February 1989, Page 2

Recession ‘may benefit women’

By

JANE ENGLAND

Women may benefit from an economic recession, the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Shields, told the Pan Pacific-South-East Asia Women’s Association in Christchurch on Saturday. “It is then that the value of women’s work, at home and at the office, shop or factory, becomes more noticed,” she said. “This may turn out to be one of those times when women make great strides, when all they are really trying to do is keep their families going.” Mrs Shields, speaking at the annual meeting of the association, endorsed its aims of fostering better understanding and friendship between women from the Pacific and South-East Asia. She outlined some “hot” issues which had been drawn to the attention of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs by women in the community. Equal pay for work of equal value, and equal employment opportunities were two policies that needed to be actioned together, she said. New Zealand introduced equal pay legislation for all work in 1972. But women still earned about 80 per cent of the amount earned by men. “Equal opportunity in general is about eliminating barriers women face in terms of access to jobs or services,” she said. One of the most fundamental barriers for women had been the lack of access to affordable and appropriate child care services. Mrs Shields said the Government was committed to rectifying that problem.

Mrs Shields said men could also benefit from the work achieved by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. “Giving greater opportunities to women also increases the options available for men. Perhaps the time will come when men will realise that they, too, are benefiting from the existence of a Ministry of Women’s Affairs.”