Women Allege Sexism In Dept (Press, 8 March 1986)

In a report published on 8 March 1986, women working in New Zealand's Social Welfare Department expressed serious concerns regarding sexism within the organisation. They claimed that male colleagues were often "groomed" for promotions, leading to less qualified men being appointed over better-qualified women. This discriminatory practice was identified as a significant obstacle to equal opportunities for female employees, with over 40 specific forms of sexism highlighted by women during departmental meetings across the country in the previous year. The report, titled "Women and Social Welfare," emerged from a study conducted by a seven-member Women's Advisory Group established in March 1985 to tackle issues related to affirmative action. The group defined "institutional sexism" as the existing structures, policies, and procedures that disadvantage female staff and clients, limiting their influence over departmental operations. The findings revealed that a substantial majority of women felt that sexism was prevalent, as only six out of 49 meetings reported the absence of such practices. Women reported feelings of being undermined due to stereotypes that considered them emotional, which devalued their perspectives. They also noted that personal commitments related to family were taken into consideration during promotion decisions, further hindering their career progression. Additional issues included a lack of collaboration from male colleagues when working under female supervisors, the use of sexist language, and a lack of acceptance for lesbian women within the department. In response, the Minister of Social Welfare, Mrs Hercus, announced the creation of two new women’s advisory officer positions at the department's head office as part of the department's first steps towards addressing these concerns. Plans were also revealed to introduce similar positions in six regional offices, alongside the establishment of women’s liaison officers to support female staff. The report recommended various measures to enhance equal opportunities, including the creation of new training programmes for women and ensuring that all committees reviewing aspects of social welfare have adequate female representation. The advisory group noted a strong consensus among women employees in favour of affirmative action, advocating for initiatives such as permanent part-time work, childcare facilities, and ensuring representation on all boards and committees. The research findings underscored a call for immediate actions to combat entrenched sexism and foster a more equitable work environment within the Social Welfare Department.

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