Women in New Zealand Parliament OutNumber Men for the First Time.
On October 25th, new lawmakers were sworn into New Zealand’s Parliament shifting the gender balance to women being the majority. The percentage of women in lawmaker roles is growing, but they still remain the underrepresented majority.
By Erin Pedersen
What Happened?
On October 25th, new lawmakers were sworn into New Zealand’s Parliament making Women the majority and outnumbering their male counterparts. (Source: Washington Post)
New Lawmaker.
Soraya Peke-Mason is the newest lawmaker for New Zealand’s Labour Party. When she was sworn into Parliament, she shifted the gender balance. There are now 60 women to 59 men in Parliament. (Source: Washington Post)
Women Lawmakers Globally.
New Zealand is now 1 of 6 countries worldwide to have at least half of their lawmakers be women. According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), 26.4 percent of lawmakers worldwide are women. Around the world, women in lawmaking roles are growing but remain underrepresented. (Source: Washington Post)
“I’m really pleased that my daughters are growing up in a country where women being equally represented in public life is normal. That’s a great thing.”
— Nicola Willis,
Deputy Leader of the New Zealand National Party
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