Today (19th September) marks 128 years since New Zealand signed a new Electoral Act into law. By way of this landmark legislation, in 1893 New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world in which women had the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

In the previous 128 years there has been rapid and significant progress for women’s rights around the world, however it is also interesting to note that it would take a further 26 years of campaigning before women could stand for parliament in New Zealand. There is a wealth of reading on the subject of women’s vote, I found the National Trust’s ‘Women and Power’ podcast series exploring the stories behind key characters in the suffrage debate particularly engaging.  The five-part series uncovers the rarely known stories of maids, mill-workers, politicians and even royalty, who fought and campaigned to help shape the world we live in today. The Suffragette movement is still relevant today as women still fight for equality in many aspects of everyday life around the world. Malala Yousfazai, who campaigns for the education of girls in other countries has suffered physically as a consequence of her actions, her anguish is evidence that women still need to work hard for rights that should be legal now. “The rights of women and girls are the unfinished business of the 21st century.” Hilary Clinton.