National Council of Women of New Zealand

The National Council of Women of New Zealand (Māori: Te Kaunihera Wahine o Aotearoa) is a lobbying group for women's rights. The Council was established in 1896.

Women in New Zealand won the right to the vote in 1893. Three years later on 13 April 1896, the National Council of Women of New Zealand was established at a women's convention in Christchurch.Kate Sheppard, who had led the campaign for women's suffrage, was elected as the first President. Its aim was to "unite organised societies of women for mutual counsel and co-operation, and all that makes for the good of humanity".

Other founding members included: Anna Stout, the founder of the Women's Franchise League; Margaret Sievwright, founder of the Gisborne branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union; Annie Schnackenberg, president of Woman's Christian Temperance Union during the suffrage campaign; Wilhelmina Sherriff Bain, president of Canterbury Women's Institute and Ada Wells, founder of the Canterbury Women's Institute. On Kate Sheppard's recommendation, Emily Hill became treasurer of the organisation in 1903.Sarah Page was the organisation's secretary in 1905–06. The Council went into recess in 1906.

The Council was revived when Kate Sheppard, Jessie Mackay and Christina Henderson set up a preliminary committee and contacted prominent women around the country. A preliminary meeting of regional representatives was held in April 1918 and a full conference was held after the end of the war in September 1919. The new Council had a change in structure and saw the development of branches.

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