Political power used to be concentrated mainly among the royal family, while most people, male and female, lacked a voice in political decisions. When a wave of democratisation in the 19th century expanded to include men, women were denied the right to vote because it was believed that they were suited only to the domestic sphere.

But, by the late 19th century, as more women entered professional fields, women were seen as more able to participate in the public sphere.

In 1891 - 1893, suffragettes such as Kate Sheppard gathered signatures and compiled a series of massive petitions calling on parliament to enact female suffrage. The 1893 petition for female suffrage gained over 24,000 signatures that were submitted to the parliament in Wellington.

New Zealand's men supported the suffrage movement. As a "colonial frontier" country, New Zealand had far more men than women and believed that an influx of women would stabilise the society. Women were thought to be morally superior, and that a society where women could vote would increase morality.

In 1893, New Zealand was the first country to give women the right to vote. It was revolutionary at the time.

Since then, New Zealand has had three female prime ministers. Women have held each of New Zealand's key constitutional positions in government. New Zealand has also had a female governor-general, speaker of the House of Representatives, attorney general, and chief justice.