Gender Equality in New Zealand A Report Based on a Public Opinion Survey Completed in June 2015 Level 7, 45 Johnston St, PO Box 10 617, Wellington, New Zealand P 04 499 3088 F 04 499 3414 E info@researchnz.com W www.researchnz.com 2015 Research New Zealand Research New Zealand December 2014
Foreword The National Council of Women of New Zealand works toward a gender equal New Zealand. As we mark 122 years since women achieved suffrage, it is promising to see New Zealanders are highly aware that more needs to be done to get gender equality for women. Research shows that gender equality will benefit our country both socially and economically, as well as being the right thing to do. We are grateful to Research New Zealand for conducting this public opinion survey, which is useful for informing our work and raising awareness of current gender issues. Sue McCabe Chief Executive, The National Council of Women of New Zealand.
Key research findings The public opinion survey which has provided the results for this report was completed in June 2015, by telephone, with a nationally-representative sample of n=500 New Zealanders, 18 years and more (defined here as adult New Zealanders ). For more detailed information about the survey methodology, please refer to the appendix of this report. The key research findings are as follows: 1. Less than one-half of adult New Zealanders believe men and women are treated equally in business (32 percent) and the workplace (46 percent). 2. Most adult New Zealanders also believe that men have more opportunities than women in a range of settings, from the armed forces, politics and professional sports, to the workplace and senior management levels in both the private and public sectors. 3. An average of nine percent of adult New Zealanders, both males and females, believe they have been personally disadvantaged because of their gender in a range of different settings, from social settings and their workplace to situations in which they have been the customer of a service provider. 4. Against this background, over one-half of adult New Zealanders believe New Zealand has a better gender equality record than most other Western countries (55 percent), compared with 29 percent who believe we have a similar record. 5. Men and women have different opinions about the way men and women are treated and the opportunities they have in New Zealand.
Detailed results of adult New Zealanders believe men and women are treated equally in business. In addition, less than one-half believe men and women are treated equally in the workplace (46 percent). Most adult New Zealanders believe men and women are treated equally in the health system (72 percent believe they are treated equally ) and in the education system (68 percent), but the level of equality is perceived to be very different in other settings (Figure 1). For example, about one-half believe men and women are treated equally in the courts and the justice system generally (59 percent), in social settings (57 percent) and in government policies and programmes (54 percent). In two of these settings, well over twice as many consider men are treated more favourably than women: In social settings (26 percent believe men are treated more favourably compared to 10 percent who believe women are treated more favourably ). In government policies and programmes (25 percent believe men are treated more favourably compared to 11 percent who believe women are treated more favourably ). The reverse applies in the case of the courts and the justice system generally, with twice as many believing women are treated more favourably than men (19 percent and 10 percent respectively). But the most pronounced differences are in relation to the workplace and in business: While 46 percent believe men and women are treated equally in the workplace; 45 percent believe men are treated more favourably compared to four percent who believe women are treated more favourably. While 32 percent believe men and women are treated equally in business; 62 percent believe men are treated more favourably compared to two percent who believe women are treated more favourably.
Figure 1: Are males and females treated the same? Q. In your personal opinion, are males and females in New Zealand treated the same way in each of the following areas? s treated more favourably Same, equal Don't know s treated more favourably In the health system 7 14% In the education system 68% 4% 18% In the courts and justice system generally 5 1 1 In social settings 26% 5 In government policies and programmes 2 54% 1 In the workplace 4 46% 6% 4% In business 6 3 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Furthermore, men and women have significantly different opinions about the extent to which men and women are treated equally in these settings. In fact, women are significantly less likely than men to believe men and women are treated equally in the following settings (Figure 2): In business (21 percent of women believe men and women are treated equally compared with 43 percent of men). In the workplace (36 percent of women believe men and women are treated equally compared with 56 percent of men). In government policies and programmes (47 percent of women believe men and women are treated equally compared with 62 percent of men). In social settings (48 percent of women believe men and women are treated equally compared with 68 percent of men). In the courts and justice system generally (52 percent of women believe men and women are treated equally compared with 66 percent of men). In addition, whereas most adult New Zealanders believe men and women are treated equally in the news media (63 percent), this is not the case in terms of advertising (41 percent). Furthermore, men and women have significantly different opinions in this regard.
In business In the workplace In government policies and programmes In social settings In the courts and justice system generally In the education system In the health system For example, more men than women believe women are treated more favourably in advertising (32 percent, compared with 25 percent of women), and more women than men believing men are treated more favourably in the news media (24 percent, compared with 13 percent of men). Figure 2: Are males and females treated the same? Examined by gender Q. In your personal opinion, are males and females in New Zealand treated the same way in each of the following areas? s treated more favourably Same, equal Don't know s treated more favourably 1 7 1 6% 73% 16% 1 6 3% 1 70% 20% 1 5 13% 20% 4% 66% 1 1 34% 48% 8% 1 68% 6% 33% 4 1 1 6 8% 1 5 36% 3 56% 4% 7 2 4% 50% 43% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
for amateur sports is the best result recorded for any setting (including the armed forces, politics, professional sports, the workplace and senior management in both the private and public sector) in which adult New Zealanders believe that men and women have equal opportunities. With the exception of amateur sports, few adult New Zealanders believe men and women have equal opportunities in a range of areas (Figure 3). In fact, compared with women, men are generally considered to have more opportunities : In the armed forces (61 percent believe men have more opportunities, compared with 31 percent having equal opportunities ). In senior management levels in the private sector (61 percent believe men have more opportunities, compared with 31 percent having equal opportunities ). In professional sports (65 percent believe men have more opportunities, compared with 32 percent having equal opportunities ). In senior management levels in the public sector (55 percent believe men have more opportunities, compared with 35 percent having equal opportunities ). In politics (55 percent believe men have more opportunities, compared with 39 percent having equal opportunities ). In the workplace (45 percent believe men have more opportunities, compared with 46 percent having equal opportunities ). Figure 3: Do males and females have the same opportunities? Q. In which of the following areas do you feel male and females have equal or different levels of opportunity in New Zealand? Men have more Same,equal Don't know Women have more In amateur sports 3 58% 4% In the workplace 4 46% 4% 4% In politics 5 3 3% 3% In senior management levels in the public sector 5 3 4% In the armed forces 6 3 8% In senior management levels in the private sector 6 3 3% In professional sports 6 3 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Furthermore, men and women have different perspectives in terms of the extent to which men and women have equal opportunities in these settings, with women being generally less likely to believe men and women have equal opportunities and more likely to believe that men have more opportunities (Figure 4). This is most pronounced in the following areas: In the workplace (38 percent of women believe men and women have equal opportunities compared with 55 percent of men, and 56 percent of women believe men have more opportunities compared with 33 percent of men). In amateur sports (54 percent of women believe men and women have equal opportunities compared with 63 percent of men, and 40 percent of women believe men have more opportunities compared with 29 percent of men). In politics (33 percent of women believe men and women have equal opportunities compared with 46 percent of men, and 63 percent of women believe men have more opportunities compared with 46 percent of men). In senior management levels in the public sector (26 percent of women believe men and women have equal opportunities compared with 45 percent of men, and 69 percent of women believe men have more opportunities compared with 40 percent of men).
In professional sports In senior management levels in the private sector In the armed forces In senior management levels in the public sector In politics In the workplace In amateur sports Figure 4: Do males and females have the same opportunities? Examined by gender Q. In which of the following areas do you feel male and females have equal or different levels of opportunity in New Zealand? Men have more Same,equal Don't know Women have more 40% 54% 3% 3% 2 63% 6% 40% 54% 3% 3% 33% 5 63% 33% 46% 46% 4% 4% 6 26% 3% 40% 4 64% 26% 5 3 64% 30% 4% 5 33% 4% 66% 3 64% 33% 0% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
of adult New Zealanders, on average, believe they have been personally disadvantaged because of their gender in a range of different settings, including social settings, their workplace and situations in which they have been the customer of a service provider. Figure 5 shows the extent to which adult New Zealanders believe they have been personally disadvantaged because of their gender in various situations. Although the percentages are relatively small, the situations in which gender discrimination occurs most frequently is in terms of peoples dealings with government departments (12 percent), in their personal life (12 percent), in their job (11 percent) and with their family (11 percent). Figure 5: Have you been disadvantaged recently because of your gender? Q. In which of the following areas, if any, do you feel you have been disadvantaged recently because of your gender? Yes No Don't know In your personal life 1 86% In your dealings with government departments 1 83% With your family 1 88% In your job* 1 8 In dealing with your bank 90% With your male friends 8% 9 With people in your neighbourhood 9 With your female friends 4% 9 On average 8 *Based on respondents who identified as being in paid employment. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Furthermore, men and women are significantly different in terms of the extent to which they report having been personally disadvantaged because of their gender. Relatively speaking, this is particularly the case in terms of the following situations (Figure 6): With people in their neighbourhood (12 percent of women report being personally disadvantaged compared with one percent of men). In dealing with their bank (12 percent of women report being personally disadvantaged compared with five percent of men). In their job (16 percent of women report being personally disadvantaged compared with seven percent of men).
With your female friends With people in your neighbourhood With your male friends In dealing with your bank In your job With your family In your dealings with government departments In your personal life Figure 6: Have you been disadvantaged recently because of your gender? Examined by gender Q. In which of the following areas, if any, do you feel you have been disadvantaged recently because of your gender? Yes No Don't know 1 84% 8 1 78% 6% 8 4% 13% 8 8% 9 16% 8 9 1 86% 9 1 88% 94% 1 8 9 94% 3% 96% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
of adult New Zealanders believe New Zealand has a better gender equality record than most other Western countries In comparison, nine percent believe New Zealand does worse than most other Western countries and 29 percent believe it does the same (Figure 7). Men and women have different perspectives on New Zealand s gender equality record, with significantly more men than women believing New Zealand does better than most other Western countries (61 percent and 49 percent respectively). In fact, twice as many women as men believe New Zealand does worse (12 percent and six percent respectively), although the majority of women believe New Zealand does better (49 percent). Figure 7: New Zealand s gender equality record compared with other Western countries, examined by gender Q. Overall, do you feel New Zealand does better, worse, or the same as other Western countries on gender equality issues at present? Better Same Don't know Worse Total sample 5 2 4 3 1 6 26% 6% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Appendix - Method The interviewing for this public opinion survey was conducted by telephone, from our CATI-enabled call centre 1, as part of our monthly omnibus survey for June 2015. Each omnibus survey is completed with a nationally-representative sample of 500 New Zealanders, 18 years and more. Survey respondents are sampled using a multi-random method, with households initially randomly selected using a random dialling method and then one person randomly selected from all those who are eligible (based on being 18 years of age or more and the fact that they normally live in the household). The resulting survey data was weighted to ensure that the results are truly representative of the New Zealand population, by age, gender and region. The weighting parameters were sourced from Statistics New Zealand and are based on the 2013 Census of Population and Dwellings. Results based on the (weighted) total sample are subject to a maximum margin of error of +/- 4.5 percent (at the 95 percent confidence level) 2. This means, for example, that if 50 percent of respondents interviewed believed men and women were treated equally in business, we could be 95 percent sure of getting the same result, plus or minus 4.5 percent, had we interviewed everyone in the population. Higher margins of error apply in the case of sub-samples. 1 CATI is an acronym for Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing. 2 The margin of error is slightly higher than the conventional margin of error calculation as it takes into account the fact that the data has been weighted.