Blue Umbrella Official October 2018 issue | Page 20

T HI S D AY I N HI S T O R Y:
WO M E N'S R I G HT T O VOT E
By: Monica A.
An event that marked the beginning
of a new era of opportunities and freedoms
for women all around the world occurred on
September 19, 1893. On this date, Lord
Glasgow signed a new Electoral Act,
passing it into law. Due to this important
legislation, New Zealand officially became
the first self-governing country to grant
women the right to vote in parliamentary
elections just as equally as their male
counterparts.
According to the website titled "New
Zealand History", in early colonial New
Zealand - similar to various European
societies at the time - women were thought
of as only fit for domestic affairs. Men were
the only ones who were fit for public life
and politics.
During the late 19'th century. some
women began to question this idea. This
was due to the new opportunities that were
available for women and girls - especially
those from wealthy or middle class families
- in New Zealand. Secondary education as
well as university education were available
for women and young ladies. Also, careers
in medicine, with new opportunities in
church and charitable work, made women
soon turn their attention to their legal and
political rights.
This started a movement known as
"The Women's Suffrage Campaign" in New
Zealand. It was primarily inspired by John
20
Stuart Mill's writings on equal-rights,
multiple British feminists, and by the
missionary efforts of the American-based
Women's Christian Temperance Union
(Women and the Vote). Some of New
Zealand's prominent male politicians
supported "The Women's Suffrage
Campaign" movement. Among these
politicians were John Hall and Robert
Stout.
Katherine Wilson Sheppard was one
of the leading members of "The Women's
Suffrage Campaign" movement. She
encouraged from all of New Zealand to
sign, write, and send petitions calling
Parliament to grant women the right to
vote. From 1891 to 1893, a lot of hard
work, struggle, protests, and petitions took
place, fighting for the right to vote. Finally,
in 1893, "The Women's Suffrage
Campaign" succeeded. Evidently, this
achievement was the result of years of
effort by the suffrage campaigners.
After New Zealand, Australia
followed suit in 1902. The United States,
Canada, England, and many other
countries did not follow until shortly after
World War I.
Disclaimer: All of this information
was gathered from New Zealand History's
website titled "Women and the Vote."