PM joins women’s suffrage celebration

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will help launch celebrations of the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in New Zealand at a special event in Christchurch next month.

The Prime Minister will be the keynote speaker at the event at the Isaac Theatre Royal on 13 September, underlining the role of Christchurch as the birthplace of the suffrage movement.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Students from local schools will also be able to take part in a question and answer session with Ms Ardern.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel says “it’s especially fitting to have the Prime Minister speaking at this event, inspiring the next generation of young female leaders in our city”.

“We have such a strong history of female leaders – not only can we lay claim to being the home of Kate Sheppard as she spearheaded the suffrage campaign, Christchurch produced the first woman elected to Parliament in 1933, Elizabeth McCombs, and the first Minister for Women’s Affairs, Dame Anne Hercus.”

It is the first of several events in September and October celebrating the anniversary of women’s suffrage in the city. Proceeds from ticket sales for next month’s event will go to the YWCA Emergency and Transition Housing Programme for women and children.