Oct 15, 2018
“Getting a gender equal world? That’s going to take a lot of culture change, a lot of role reversals—our prime minister and her husband showing the way—where women are valued the same as men, where family violence is eliminated … and really where women are respected, and the fact that you’ve had time out and had children out of the workforce [is] valued as a skillset.”
Dr. Jackie Blue is the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner at the New Zealand Human Rights Commission. She began her career in medicine as a general practitioner and New Zealand’s first breast physician before shifting her focus to politics. Jackie spent eight years as a member of parliament and then moved into her current role as EEO Commissioner. She is committed to progressing human rights and issues of equity, addressing youth unemployment in the Māori and Pacific communities, and advancing the participation of women in society.
Today, Jackie joins Sylvia to discuss her work to close New Zealand’s gender pay gap through equal pay legislation. She explains the country’s pioneering legislation affording paid leave to victims of family violence and its status as the first country to give women the right to vote 125 years ago. Jackie and Sylvia explore key issues including paid parental leave for men and women, sexual harassment in the workplace, and the role of quotas in accelerating necessary change. Listen in to understand how businesses can change social policy for the better and learn how to leverage a powerful network of women in working toward a gender equal workplace—and world.
Jackie’s role as New Zealand’s Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner
Jackie’s work to support the disadvantaged Māori and Pacific communities
New Zealand’s 9.2% gender pay gap and the country’s equal pay legislation
The world’s first legislation providing paid leave to victims of family violence
New Zealand’s status as the first country to give women the right to vote
The evolution of the paid parental leave policy in New Zealand
How New Zealand’s prime minister and her husband serve as role models
Jackie’s insight on how businesses can support victims of family violence
How the #MeToo movement has unfolded in New Zealand
Why no workplace is immune from sexual harassment
The cultural shift necessary to value motherhood as a skill set
The need for more women in private sector senior decision-making roles
Jackie’s take on how quotas can accelerate necessary change
Why current workplace systems are not sustainable for men or women
How Jackie leverages family support to maintain her health
New Zealand’s recent examination by the UN’s CEDAW
Why businesses are in a strong position to change social policy for good
The power of a women’s network as a support system
New Zealand Human Rights Commission
Becker-Hill Women’s Empowerment School
Subscribe to WES on Google Play
UN Commission on the Status of Women
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s UN Address
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the UN General Assembly
Jacinda Ardern’s First Speech as Prime Minister
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women