Women's Suffrage

An unusual type of post today!

Here in New Zealand, yesterday was Women's Suffrage Day, and as we were the first country to grant women the right to vote, I thought I ought to share some information on the history of women's suffrage around the world.

What Is Women's Suffrage?


'Suffrage' is the right to vote in politics, and the Women's Suffrage - sometimes 'Suffragette movement'  - movement, was a series of various protests, sit-ins, petitions, marches, and other events, in a form of non-violent protest in order to persuade governments to grant women the vote, and, once women could vote, to then grant full political rights for all. Those who participated in suffrage movements are known as Suffragists. It was a world-wide initiative, that still continues in some countries and regions today.

18th Century - 

The first nation to allow women to vote at all was Sweden - however, it came with conditions such as needing to require land, or being part of a trade guild (which were both rare and difficult for women to achieve in the first place,) and the laws that allowed these women to vote were repealed, revoked, and altered many times.

In 1756, a single Massachusetts woman in the United States was allowed to vote in her town meeting.

19th Century - 

Many women were given restricted rights of voting, largely only within their local area rather than nation wide. In order to vote, women needed to meet a variety of different requirements, including land or property ownership, guild membership, permits, being a tax payer, being higher educated, or being unmarried/widowed. All of these were either very difficult for a woman to achieve, or were socially seen as being negative qualities for a woman to hold. This meant that few women actually had the right, and often at the expense of other parts of their lives.

The Women's National Loyal League forms in 1863 in the United States, headed by Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton, and supported the formation of a new amendment to abolish slavery and give all people the right to vote. Many different groups and branches followed, with a very complex history, and some parts are still active today.

In 1885, New Zealand women are inspired by the American groups, and begin their own - the New Zealand Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) which is still active today.

In the late 19th century, there were 13 petitions to the New Zealand government by suffragists, with the largest petition, taken in 1893,  holding 31,872 signatures from New Zealand women. That same year, New Zealand's Suffragette movement succeeds, being the first nation to allow all women to vote.

In 1894, the Australian state of South Australia follows, and in 1895, becomes the first place to allow women to stand in an election.

Soon, most small states, colonies, and regions had granted limited voting rights to women. 


20th Century - 

In 1902. Australia grants all non-Aboriginal women the right to vote, but some restrictions remain. It takes until 1962 before all Aboriginal people are able to vote, and restrictions on women are lifted.

Finland becomes the first to give women full political rights, and the first women are elected into parliament the next year.

In 1914, WW1 begins. During the war, many women took up traditionally masculine roles all around the world, and began to change the ideals and beliefs about feminine ability and place at the time. The idea that women may be capable of voting seemed much less far-fetched, and suffrage around the world began to flourish.

From the 1910s, state-by-state, the United States of America begin to grant women the right to vote.  By 1920, all women have the right to vote.

In 1918, the UK and Ireland grant the vote to women over 30. They are also still required to own property.

In 1919, women in New Zealand are granted full political rights.

By the end of the century, most countries gave some degree of suffrage, with a few still imposing restrictions such as age, property ownership, and marriage status.

21st Century -

The UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, and Afghanistan give women the vote, though some areas have limitations.

In 2015, Saudi Arabia grant women the vote, and the right to run for local elections.



I hope you found this interesting, and maybe found out something new, or perhaps have your own voting stories to share below! (No politics talk though, please.)If you have a national (or international) event you'd like to share, feel free to contact Lucy!