Women have held about 41 percent of state sector board and committee positions yearly for the past six years, figures show.Women's Affairs Minister Pansy Wong said the Ministry of Women's Affairs had been conducting annual stocktakes of the boards and com
Women have held about 41 percent of state sector board and committee positions yearly for the past six years, figures show.
Women's Affairs Minister Pansy Wong said the Ministry of Women's Affairs had been conducting annual stocktakes of the boards and committees, and the number had varied from 40.8 percent in 2004 to 41.5 percent last year. It peaked at 42.3 percent in 2006 and 2008.
"New Zealand's women on state boards figures are better than most countries, including Australia," Mrs Wong said.
"Australia has recently set its target to increase the participation of women on boards to 40 percent."
However, figures for the private sector were not so female-friendly; the latest available figures were for 2007 and showed only 8.7 percent of directors in the top 100 listed companies were women.
"We have been working closely with Business New Zealand and the Institute of Directors in New Zealand to increase the number of women on the boards of our top listed companies," Mrs Wong said.
"It is certainly an area where improvements can be made."
