Hansa Naran
Clarks Beach, Auckland, October 5, 2024
The challenge is to create a fairer society: Dr Karanina Sumeo (seated third from left) with Hansa Naran (standing front row, right) and others at the Suffrage Day held on September 22, 2024 at Clarks Beach, Auckland (Photo Supplied)
In a powerful keynote speech at Clarks Beach on September 22, 2024, Saunoamaali’i Dr. Karanina Sumeo, New Zealand’s Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner and Acting Chief Human Rights Commissioner, reminded us of the importance of continuing the fight for equality as we celebrated women’s suffrage in New Zealand.
Delivering with passion and urgency, her address focused on the progress, the challenges ahead, and our role in creating a fairer society for future generations.
The event, held to honour the women who fought for the right to vote, provided the perfect backdrop for Dr Sumeo’s reflections on the ongoing struggle for equal rights.
She began by recognising the peace and growth of the Clarks Beach community but quickly shifted to a broader message: “We cannot take for granted the things we have, like doctors and women’s refuges.”
She urged us to remember that the freedoms we enjoy today came from hard-won battles, much like the suffrage movement.
Editor’s Note: New Zealand became the first country in the world to accord women the right to vote in Parliamentary elections with then Governor Lord David Boyle Glasgow signing a new Electoral Act into Law on September 19, 1893. Since then, the day has been marked as Women’s Suffrage Day every year.
The world is watching New Zealand’s failure to address inequality issues (Dr Karanina Sumeo with Hans Naran at Suffrage Day, Clarks Beach on September 22, 2024(Photo Supplied)
Fight for Pay-Equity
Dr Sumeo’s primary focus was on pay equity, a fight that is far from over.
“We need a better system to know if women are getting paid fairly and equally,” she declared, highlighting the fact that current legislation addressing pay equity has been paused. She encouraged the audience to take action, rally, lobby and write to their politicians.
“Software that measures pay equality exists but it must be made mandatory, with legislation that includes women, ethnicity, and disability,” she said.
While celebrating the achievements of women in securing the right to vote, Dr Sumeo also underscored the need for continued efforts to address racial and disability inequalities.
She posed the crucial question, “What does equality look like now?” and challenged us to envision a better future for our children, where equality is not just an aspiration but a reality.
Male allies crucial
A poignant part of her speech touched on the role of male allies in the journey toward equality.
Dr Sumeo expressed her hope that more men would join women in celebrating suffrage, emphasising that some parts of society still only listen to men.
This is why male allies are so crucial to the cause.
Another key issue raised was the treatment of Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi.
Dr Sumeo expressed concern over the potential for civil unrest if the Treaty is not upheld, stressing that while Māori continue to fight for their rights, it is the responsibility of all New Zealanders to support this struggle.
As we reflect on the achievements of the women’s suffrage movement, it is also vital to remember that the fight for equality in New Zealand is ongoing.
The ‘Talking Stick’ participants at the Suffrage Day in Clark’s Beach, Auckland on September 22, 2024 (Photo Supplied)
The World Watches
Dr Sumeo warned that other countries are watching, and New Zealand’s failure to fully address these issues is becoming a stain on its international reputation.
“Other countries are looking at New Zealand and saying we do not have equality,” she said, reminding us that the work is far from complete.
Dr Sumeo encouraged everyone to “make the moment count” and to use their talents and privilege to continue the legacy of the women’s suffrage movement.
“We all count,” she said, calling for a collective effort to ensure that the future is one where equality for all is a given, not something we are still fighting for.
As we celebrated women’s suffrage, Dr Sumeo’s call to action was a timely reminder that while the right to vote was a monumental victory, the work of achieving true equality is far from over. It is up to each of us to carry forward the spirit of the suffragists and continue the fight for a better, more equal New Zealand.
Hansa Naran is a community worker and perhaps the only member of the Indian community to mark the Anniversary of Suffrage Day on September 19 every year in New Zealand. She has been a Justice of the Peace since 2014, a Victim Support volunteer and a Kiwani (an international service organisation) and has donated incubators, children’s stationary and clothing to children’s missionaries and traditional sarees for women who cannot afford bridal clothing in India. King Charles awarded her a Queen’s Service Medal on the New Year Honours List in 2024.
