Women in New Zealand - statistics & facts

As of 2019, New Zealand’s rising population was made up of over 2.53 million females, overtaking the male population. Despite the increasing population, the fertility rate among women has steadily decreased over the past few years. Alongside a decreasing fertility rate, women are giving birth later in life. Women in New Zealand are also living longer than male New Zealanders, with a higher average life expectancy. The overall quality of life for women in New Zealand throughout recent years appears to be of a high standard, with women having displayed a general feeling of trust in public institutions. Along with this trust, they have exhibited high levels of job satisfaction.

Political achievements of women

The history of women in New Zealand involves significant political involvement. This was highlighted in 1893, with New Zealand being famed as the first self-governing country in the world to give women the right to vote. Propelling the female voice further, the share of female voters in the ensuing election was higher than the share of male voters. Women in New Zealand continued to maintain a political presence, with the election of their first female prime minister in 1997. Subsequently, there have been a further two female prime ministers elected in New Zealand. To this day, New Zealand has one of the highest shares of women in parliament in the Asia Pacific.

Equality in the workplace

The role of women in New Zealand has changed alongside an evolving world. In recent years, it appears female New Zealanders have set a new standard by marrying later in life in comparison to previous years. The number of employed women in the country has continued to increase. Although employment opportunities for women have advanced significantly, there remains the question of equality in the workplace. As of 2019, on average, men were earning a higher wage than women. The industries that employed the highest number of women in the country were the retail, trade, accommodation, and food services industry, and the health care and social assistance industry.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 4, 2024

Key insights

Population of female residents
2.53m
Gender pay gap
9.3%
Number of employed females
1.34m
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Number of employed women in New Zealand in 2022, by leading industry (in 1,000s)

Employment

Employed women in New Zealand 2022, by leading industry

Fertility rate in New Zealand in 2020, by age group (per 1,000 women)

Births, Deaths, Life Expectancy

Fertility rate in New Zealand 2020, by age group

Share of current smokers in New Zealand from financial year 2007 to 2021, by gender

State of Health

Smoking rate among adults New Zealand 2007-2021, by gender

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