On many occasions New Zealand has spoken about the need to ensure that women's concerns are fully integrated into all aspects of the United Nations' activities and structures, not marginalised in one part of the Secretariat.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
By and large, women in New Zealand are fortunate compared with some other countries, including many in our own region. But there is still progress to be made.
Ten years ago in Nairobi we said that the participation of women in the decision-making and appraisal processes of the United Nations was essential if the organization was to effectively serve women's interests.
I want to make a policy statement. I am unabashedly in favor of women.
We need to empower women. Give women a voice in the decision-making process. Give women a political voice where they can champion, for their own welfare. And, of course, for us. United Nations - organizations, agencies - we need to do our part.
I have come to understand that in order to effectively advance women's rights, we need to galvanize a global women's movement.
If women are the key to Africa's future - and I believe they are - we must figure out how to take away the barriers to their participation.
I see the great continuities in New Zealand history as being decency and common sense and up until now when we've confronted these things we've been able to talk them through, and I'm sure we will with this issue as well.
I said we needed to organize women around the world to push peace.
Women have a lot to say about how to advance women's rights, and governments need to learn from that, listen to the movement and respond.
New Zealand's been pretty quiet on human rights issues, which we will be taking rather more interest in, and in international labor issues.