- Issue date
- 13 March 2026
Tēnā koutou kātoa. Good [morning/afternoon/evening].
Chair, Excellencies
New Zealand was the first self-governing country to grant women the vote, and we remain dedicated to driving meaningful progress for all women and girls.
Despite significant global strides, women and girls’ rights remain under threat.
New Zealand is deeply concerned about the alarming rise of conflict-related sexual violence. We are concerned about increasing attempts to restrict women and girls’ rights and freedoms, including to undermine access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. At the same time, mis- and disinformation are fueling these attempts to restrict rights.
This year’s priority theme speaks to the heart of gender equality – access to justice is fundamental to women’s economic and social empowerment, wellbeing and safety.
Achieving equality requires collective action on multiple fronts.
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by technology facilitated gender-based violence, with the greatest impact felt by women and girls who experience compounding forms of discrimination.
This can have a silencing effect and erode the presence of women in leadership roles and democratic processes.
New Zealand is committed to protecting our strong record of women in leadership. We are supporting women in public life to respond to online harm, find support and know their pathways to justice.
Last year, we passed legislation that criminalises stalking and recognises technology-facilitated stalking and harassment behaviours.
Guided by a national strategy, New Zealand is working to address violence against women and girls, but still too many are harmed.
We need to continue to strengthen protections for women and girls in our justice system. New legislation gives victims of sexual violence the right to decide for the first time whether convicted offenders receive name suppression.
In our Pacific region, we are proud to support programmes to target the practical barriers that prevent women from accessing fair, safe and effective justice, and strengthen the implementation of national family violence laws.
At a time of unprecedented pressure on the rules-based international system, this forum is crucial to protecting and advancing the rights of women and girls. New Zealand is a champion of gender equality and will continue to seek better outcomes for women and girls in all their diversity.
Ngā mihi nui. Thank you.