With the adoption of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the international community sent out a clear message that gender based violence will not be tolerated.

In her role as Minister of Social Welfare Shipley sparked controversy[citation needed] with her cutbacks to state benefits. She became the first National Party leader to seek to make electoral overtures to the gay and lesbian voting public. She also served as Minister of Women's Affairs (1990–1996).

Dame Jenny Shipley DNZM (born 4 February 1952) served as the 36th Prime Minister of New Zealand from December 1997 to December 1999 the first woman to hold this office and the first and to date only woman to serve as parliamentary leader of the National Party of New Zealand.