Women In Public Affairs

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 February 1947, Page 8

Women In Public Affairs

Views On International Assembly “The thing that struck me most at the assembly was the keen interest taken in public affairs by the women representing what we have always considered the backward countries,” said Miss Joan Rattray, a member of the Auckland City Council, who recently returned by the Pan-Amer-ican clipper after attending the International Women’s Assembly in the United States. “All over the world,” continued Miss Rattray, “women are beginning to realise that, if the human race is to make any real progress, they must play a far more active part in public affairs than ever before. This attitude of mind was particularly noticeable in the case of the women from the small countries.” Wide Representation

“There were women present from Palestine and Afghanistan, Central European countries, and Spanish South American States, Korea, and Libya, and almost every country one could think of, white women and women black as the ace of spades, all speaking excellent English. They knew that they themselves must act to improve the status of women and ensure the welfare of the children in their respective countries.” There were extremely interestingtypes among them, said Miss Rattray. A Persian princess was intensely interested in child welfare, as was also a Korean woman, who said that when she was a child there were no schools for girls in her country,

and her mother dressed her as a boy to secure an education for her. She was thrilled that Korea was at last free of the Japanese and anxious to take advantage of the new opportunities. Woman Judge A Finnish representative had been a member of Parliament for 15 years. There was also a little Central American lady who, although the mother of three children, had for some time been a judge of the Juvenile Court and was standing for Parliament, despite the fact that in her State women, had only just secured the vote.