Change and diversity

The report discusses the dramatic and rapid change which the processes of globalisation, technological advance, demographic change and economic reform have brought to rural New Zealanders. It looks at the paid work of rural women and the visibility of their unpaid work, their involvement in decision making, and how the media and advertising portray them. An analysis is made of the strategies which women (and men) can use to ensure that the work undertaken by rural women receives appropriate recognition, to increase their involvement in decision-making, and assist women and men to adjust to their changed roles and achieve their aspirations and goals. Finally the report reminds us why it is important that rural women should participate in the economy and why constraints which impact on their participation should be removed.