Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

The YWCA of Aotearoa-New Zealand's purpose includes a commitment to and acknowledgement of Te Tiriti O Waitangi. 

So what does this mean?

 The commitment that the YWCA of Aotearoa-New Zealand (and therefore all Local Associations in Aotearoa-New Zealand) has made with regards to Te Tiriti O Waitangi, allows the opportunity for Māori women of all ages - as well as Tau Iwi women - to Participate, work in Partnership and be Protected.

• Participation - emphasises and acknowledges both Māori and Tau Iwi involvement in all aspects of the YWCA of Aotearoa
• Partnership - ongoing relationship between Tau Iwi and Maori
• Protection - protection of all cultural values. We need to be pro-active in integration.  Māori women may require additional resources so that Māori women are able to enjoy an equitable status.

Acknowledging Te Tiriti O Waitangi means that both Māori and Tau Iwi within the YWCA of Aotearoa-New Zealand have the right and the option to:

• be present
• be heard
• participate
• influence the work of the YWCA of Aotearoa-New Zealand

 The YWCA's commitment and acknowledgement of Te Tiriti O Waitangi is ongoing. Our systems are admittedly far from perfect, but the above aspects are what the YWCA of Aotearoa-New Zealand is working towards in the year 2002.

This page was written by Geraldine Harvey. Geraldine was the Y-Dub Director at Rotorua YWCA, and National Young Women's Vice-President of the YWCA of Aotearoa-New Zealand.