This essay written by Toni McCallum was first published in Women Together: a History of Women's Organisations in New Zealand in 1993. It was updated by Kate Burry in 2018.

Women's Refuge in Aotearoa / New Zealand can be seen as continuing the tradition of women responding to other women's needs. In 1991, over 12,500 women and children were admitted to refuges throughout the country. There were over 50 refuges, each an autonomous incorporated society or trust, affiliated to the National Collective of Independent Women's Refuges (NCIWR) and run by paid and unpaid advocates. (Opening paragraph written in 1993). This essay outlines the history of the National Collective of Independent Refuges from 1981 - 2018.

About the 2018 update of Women together: To mark the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in 2018, New Zealand History prepared an online version of Women Together: A History of Women’s Organisations in New Zealand / Ngā Rōpū Wāhine o te Motu.

This important reference work was published in 1993 to mark the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage. For the online edition New Zealand History worked with the original editor, Anne Else, to update both the individual organisation entries and thematic overview essays. Entries on significant new organisations will be added later. Follow the link for more information. See also the NZFVC Timeline.


Record #6302