The governor of New Zealand, Lord Glasgow, signed an act into law on 19th September 1893. The Electoral Act gave women the right to vote in parliamentary elections. Prior to this historic moment, women in New Zealand, like many other parts of the world, were marginalised and denied basic political rights. They were seen as second-class citizens, with limited opportunities for education and employment. However, a growing wave of feminism and advocacy for women’s rights began to gain momentum in the late 19th century.
One of the key figures in the suffrage movement in New Zealand was Kate Sheppard. Sheppard, along with other prominent suffragettes, campaigned tirelessly for women’s right to vote. They organised petitions, public meetings, and rallies to raise awareness and gather support for their cause. Their efforts were met with resistance and opposition from conservative elements in society, but they persevered.
The turning point came in 1893 when the Electoral Act was passed, granting women the right to vote. It was a landmark decision that marked a significant shift in societal attitudes towards women and their role in politics. New Zealand became a trailblazer in women’s rights, setting an example for other countries to follow.
The United Kingdom followed suit in 1918. However this was only for women over the age of 30 who were householders, wives of householders, renters of property with rents over £5 per annum, or university graduates. Not until 1928 were women given voting rights on equal terms as men.
In the USA women had a very tortuous path to voting equality. On 18th August 1920 Tennessee narrowly ratified the 19th Amendment giving it the necessary approval of 36 states and giving women nationally the vote in the 1920 presidential election. Mississippi finally ratified the bill in 1984.
New Zealand certainly seem to be world leaders in women’s equality. In 2023 61% of New Zealand’s Members of Parliament are female. The Guardian highlights many places around the world where women are still denied what I would consider basic human rights. I’m thinking of rights such as education, the right to choose how you dress, the right to choose who and when you want to marry. Returning nearer to home and voting rights, it was not until 1990 that women secured the right to vote in all of Switzerland.
I made women’s rights the theme of The Suggested Assassin, the third book in the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures. Marie de Medici’s struggle against Salic law, and become regent for her son, Louis XIII, suited my theme very nicely.