St Margaret’s women leading the charge for gender equality

This year's theme for International Women's Day is 'For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment’.

Hon Nicola Grigg, Minister for Women (class of 1994) has made addressing the gender pay gap in New Zealand a priority. "As Minister for Women, I am delighted to celebrate International Women’s Day. It is a powerful tribute to the strength, resilience, and accomplishments of women here in New Zealand, and afar. Today serves as a chance to recognise progress, challenge inequality, and reaffirm our commitment to a future where every woman and girl can thrive. Empowering women uplifts entire communities."

St Margaret’s College Trust Board Chair Di Humphries has more than 20 years of experience in governance, as well as holding CEO and Executive Director roles at publicly listed companies. Di says, “We must focus on removing the barriers that have traditionally held women back from reaching board positions. To build diverse boards, we need to work to dismantle the systemic structures that have made it harder for women to rise to the top.”

Year 13 and Service Prefect Trelise McEwan believes the biggest challenges still facing gender equality include ingrained societal norms and underrepresentation in leadership roles and job sectors. However, she has observed a shift in awareness within her community:  "Amongst my friends, I’ve noticed a growing awareness and open discussions about gender equality, especially across differing generations. There is a lot more support for diverse gender identities and more open discussion surrounding a gender-equal future where women feel empowered."

Kathryn Gray is Head of Middle School at St Margaret's College, a role she has held for 14 years. Kathryn says: "One of the best things about being in a girls' school is that the girls give everything a go, there is a complete lack of hesitation. It's a huge privilege to be part of a team supporting and empowering this next generation of trailblazers."

Anne Zwart (Marshall), class of 1969, is a founding member of the St Margaret’s College Foundation and a former President of the Old Girls’ Association. For the past eight years Anne has been volunteering for Dress for Success. Anne says: "Dress for Success is more than clothing - it’s about giving vulnerable women confidence, courage and a safe space - dressing them is just a vehicle for this. Women, especially those from minority and marginalised groups, continue to be pushed into lower-paid roles. While our work makes a tangible difference, tackling unconscious bias and the gender pay gap remains critical.”

QianYi Chuah trained as a pharmacist before moving into healthcare IT and pharmacist education. She is an alumna of St Margaret's College (class of 2001) and her daughter attends the St Margaret’s Junior School. QianYi says: "A significant barrier for women in STEM may be the lack of visibility and representation. Observing female role models and mentors working in STEM can be inspirational for students. Additionally, work-life balance poses a challenge, as women often juggle caregiving responsibilities with career progression.”

Alice Mew (Keegan) (class of 1989) is an investor at NZ Super Fund, where she leads the team that manages the Fund’s global private market investments. Alice says, "Equipping women with financial literacy and investment skills means freedom, choice and greater global prosperity. Women who are financially savvy, who understand how to use financial tools and the principles of investment, have the ability to generate wealth from our income, resources or businesses (however modest) and, crucially, control who benefits from that."

Catherine van der Meulen is the founder of Entrepreneurial Women with Purpose, Climate Action Marlborough, and Girls who Grow, and a board member at UN Women Aotearoa New Zealand. She has a daughter in Year 9. Catherine says: "At Girls who Grow, we support, celebrate, and empower young women to reconnect with the land and build values-driven career pathways in climate-positive agriculture, farming, horticulture, conservation, and other nature-based fields. In the rush of daily life, we often forget the deep importance of our connection to nature and how it shapes our well-being. That’s why we take female college students into outdoor classrooms - whether in the middle of a paddock or deep within a rainforest- where they can listen, learn, and grow. We witness a remarkable transformation as they rediscover a sense of purpose, connection, and belonging."

At St Margaret’s, we have the privilege of shaping the future for young women, empowering them to believe in their potential and to take leadership roles. Our girls are encouraged to challenge themselves and to know that they are capable of achieving anything they set their minds to. Together, our community is helping to create the next generation of women who will break down barriers and make their mark in leadership positions across all sectors of society. 

This International Women’s Day, let’s reflect on how far we have come and how much further we still have to go, and celebrate the incredible women around us who are accelerating action.