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Story: Women’s labour organisations

Working Women’s Charter

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Working Women’s Charter

Labour activist Sonja Davies was introduced to the Working Women’s Charter at a conference in Sydney, Australia, in 1976. After adaptation to local needs the charter became the focus of activism in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Provisions 8 and 15 dealing with working hours and sex education were particularly controversial.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 1/2-162446-F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Megan Cook, Women’s labour organisations – Women and unions, 1970s–2020s, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/26389/working-womens-charter (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Megan Cook, published 22 March 2011.