Kahurangi Carter
Kia ora, my name is Kahurangi Carter. I am a Green Party MP from New Zealand, Aotearoa, right at the bottom of the South Pacific.
What changes are necessary to increase women’s presence in parliament?
In New Zealand, we have almost a 50% women in Parliament, and that is not by accident.
There have been incredible women who have come before us, who have fought hard for this.
In New Zealand, we were the first country to give women the vote. And we also have had three prime ministers who are women. So when you see women in these positions, it means that young women see themselves in politics. For me, as an indigenous New Zealander. It was really important to have mentors and people who believed in me and who encouraged me to get into politics. They believed in me before I believed that I could do it myself and it is so important that we have these women encouraging us and also men encouraging us and people who sit outside the binary. So, it's important to me that we have diversity, that we have indigenous, POC, disabled and rainbow representation in our parliaments so that we can make laws that make our world a fairer and just place.
What are the main barriers preventing women from participating in politics?
There are lots of barriers that women face to going into politics. Some of the social norms that may prevent women going into politics. For example, I'm a mother and I wondered how could I do this being away from my children so much and what the effect would have on them even though they have a very involved father. He's a wonderful support. Still, as a woman and as a mother, I wondered how I would be able to do this. And that is a social norm that many women who might go into politics will be thinking about their children and how going into the public eye will affect them, whether our children will be safe, whether they will be scrutinised more, and whether it will affect their childhood because we just want them to have a wonderful childhood and for us to facilitate that, because that's what children deserve.
What support do women need to start and sustain a political career?
There are some key things that we need to focus on. Safety, physical and online safety. Psychological warfare is real. People coming for you and your family is unfortunately, the reality of the world that we live in. So training and support around that, financing, making sure that women actually have money for campaigning, and also equity. So if you are a parent, if you are a mother, that you actually have greater consideration for leave when your children are sick, when your children need you, and an understanding that your whole party and Parliament has that is something that is needed for women to be represented in Parliament.
What would you say to inspire more women to get involved in politics?
My message to women, especially diverse and young women around the world, is you can do it.
You can be a politician. We need your voice. Sometimes men don't even have to be told that they would be a good politician for them to put their name forward, whereas women have to be told over and over again before they believe it themselves, I believe in you and you can do it.
Kia ora, my name is Kahurangi Carter. I am a Green Party MP from New Zealand, Aotearoa, right at the bottom of the South Pacific.
What changes are necessary to increase women’s presence in parliament?
In New Zealand, we have almost a 50% women in Parliament, and that is not by accident.
There have been incredible women who have come before us, who have fought hard for this.
In New Zealand, we were the first country to give women the vote. And we also have had three prime ministers who are women. So when you see women in these positions, it means that young women see themselves in politics. For me, as an indigenous New Zealander. It was really important to have mentors and people who believed in me and who encouraged me to get into politics. They believed in me before I believed that I could do it myself and it is so important that we have these women encouraging us and also men encouraging us and people who sit outside the binary. So, it's important to me that we have diversity, that we have indigenous, POC, disabled and rainbow representation in our parliaments so that we can make laws that make our world a fairer and just place.
What are the main barriers preventing women from participating in politics?
There are lots of barriers that women face to going into politics. Some of the social norms that may prevent women going into politics. For example, I'm a mother and I wondered how could I do this being away from my children so much and what the effect would have on them even though they have a very involved father. He's a wonderful support. Still, as a woman and as a mother, I wondered how I would be able to do this. And that is a social norm that many women who might go into politics will be thinking about their children and how going into the public eye will affect them, whether our children will be safe, whether they will be scrutinised more, and whether it will affect their childhood because we just want them to have a wonderful childhood and for us to facilitate that, because that's what children deserve.
What support do women need to start and sustain a political career?
There are some key things that we need to focus on. Safety, physical and online safety. Psychological warfare is real. People coming for you and your family is unfortunately, the reality of the world that we live in. So training and support around that, financing, making sure that women actually have money for campaigning, and also equity. So if you are a parent, if you are a mother, that you actually have greater consideration for leave when your children are sick, when your children need you, and an understanding that your whole party and Parliament has that is something that is needed for women to be represented in Parliament.
What would you say to inspire more women to get involved in politics?
My message to women, especially diverse and young women around the world, is you can do it.
You can be a politician. We need your voice. Sometimes men don't even have to be told that they would be a good politician for them to put their name forward, whereas women have to be told over and over again before they believe it themselves, I believe in you and you can do it.