Aotearoa New Zealand

The Aotearoa New Zealand team and committees support Aotearoa member engagement and professional development, alongside advocacy efforts.

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ŷ��AV 2026 General Election Priorities

We have identified four priorities where targeted investment and policy change would make a significant difference to outcomes for women across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Learn more

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ŷ��AV 2026 General Election Priorities

We have identified four priorities where targeted investment and policy change would make a significant difference to outcomes for women across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Learn more

What we do

In Aotearoa New Zealand, ŷ��AV is represented by a New Zealand Vice President, staff team and Aotearoa New Zealand committees.

We focus on training, member engagement, events and professional development, along with advocacy through engagement with other health sector organisations, submissions, representation, collaboration in policy development and advice on clinical matters in Aotearoa.

Key priorities

Supporting and facilitating the work programmes of Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku, Aotearoa New Zealand Committee, He Hono Wāhine and the New Zealand ŷ��AV and Accreditation Committee

Advocating for women’s health in Aotearoa New Zealand and developing relationships with others in women’s health and the wider health system

Member and trainee professional development and engagement including an Aotearoa Annual Scientific Meeting, He Hono Wāhine hui and cultural support, webinar updates, workshops, practice visit programme and regular e-newsletter Pānui

Promoting ŷ��AV’s Te Rautaki Māori me Te Ara Whakamua (Māori Strategy and Action Plan)

Coordinating the Aotearoa New Zealand Fŷ��AV training programme, supporting Aotearoa trainees and running training workshops

Providing advice to the Medical Council NZ on applications for registration from Specialist International Medical Graduates (SIMGs)

Committees

The Aotearoa New Zealand team and committees are dedicated to equitable access to health services, and equity of health outcomes, for all wāhine (women) in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku

Provides overarching leadership and governance for the Aotearoa New Zealand committees and advocacy efforts.

Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku works with He Hono Wāhine and the Aotearoa New Zealand Committee to advocate for and support initiatives that improve health outcomes for women, including gender diverse people, whānau and their pēpi (babies), in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The name Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku means an assembly of people with a focus on women’s health.

The image encompasses all three elements of the name Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku which are clearly visible within the tapa toru (triangle shapes).

Learn more about the meaning of Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku

Te Kahui o ngā whetū is a common Māori phrase which speaks of the constellation or gathering of stars. This concept was chosen ahead of many other ways of describing a committee because of its relationship in particular to the navigational aspects of stars and the prominence of the southern cross as a defining feature of location for peoples in the pacific and in particular Aotearoa New Zealand.

Oranga stems from the root word Ora which positions the gathering of people (the committee) in terms of its focus and function, namely, health and well being.

Ō Nuku is a term which stems from the primary name Papatuanuku meaning Earth Mother and in the context of the name it gives further focus for the committee toward the primordial female element particularly as it relates to obstetrics and gynaecology.

Te Kahui is represented in the constellation of stars in the blue triangle with particular reference to Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific region where we are located.

Oranga is within the red triangle, represented by the unfurling koru shapes which grow upwards. A central Manawa line representing Papatuanuku reflects the ō Nuku portion of the name.

The upward and forward facing triangle shapes convey advancing and working hard to achieve positive outcomes in women’s health.

Te Kahui Oranga ō Nuku image was designed by Dave Burke in conjunction with He Hono Wāhine Kaumatua Luke Crawford.

He Hono Wāhine

As ŷ��AV’s Māori women’s health committee, He Hono Wāhine ensures a Māori perspective is heard and has influence on every aspect of ŷ��AV’s activities in Aotearoa New Zealand.

A core focus for He Hono Wāhine is progressing ŷ��AV’s Te Rautaki Māori me Te Ara Whakamua (Māori Strategy and Action Plan).

Learn more about the meaning of He Hono Wāhine

The name He Hono Wāhine was created by kaumātua (elders) in 2014. The name explains and translates a special joining or binding of a woman, and the mana wāhine hold.

Examples given to illustrate the concept when this name was being created talks to the bond wāhine hold to their pēpi, and the sacredness of this bond.

Aotearoa New Zealand Committee

Oversees training and educational events in Aotearoa New Zealand and supports and engages with Aotearoa New Zealand members.

Contributes to advocacy and submissions in Aotearoa New Zealand.

New Zealand ŷ��AV and Accreditation Committee

Oversees and coordinates Fŷ��AV trainees and Basic and Advanced training posts in Aotearoa New Zealand.

View all Committees

Information for Members and Trainees

CPD

Learn more about your essential Continuing Professional Development requirements.

ŷ��AV CPD Home

Cultural Safety

Program-level requirements in Aotearoa along with resources to develop and enhance cultural safety skills.

Learn about Cultural Safety

Grants and Scholarships

We fund grants and scholarships for research, training and study for women’s health.

Discover the Grants and Scholarships available

Member and Trainee Wellbeing

Supporting members and trainees while advocating for systemic improvements in the workplace.

Learn more about the support available

Membership

Find out more about your membership including fees, annual renewal, benefits and support available.

Learn more about your Membership

Policies and Procedures

View all of the policies and procedures that underpin the work of the College.

Access the Policies and Procedures directory

Practice Visit Programme

Fellows in Aotearoa can gain support and feedback from colleagues who understand the professional challenges of practice.

Learn more about the Programme

SIMGs

Learn more about the pathway for O&G specialist international medical graduates (SIMGs) to practice in Aotearoa NZ.

SIMG Pathway in Aotearoa New Zealand

ŷ��AVs and Guidelines

View ŷ��AV’s statements and guidelines inform the highest standard of clinical practice by our specialists.

Explore the ŷ��AVs and Guidelines directory

Trainee Support

Our Member and Trainee Support Unit (MTSU) provides support and resources to trainees and their supervisors.

Get Support

ŷ��AV

ŷ��AV can help you develop your career in women’s health, wherever on that journey you may be.

Explore our ŷ��AV options

Workshops and Events

Hauora Māori in Clinical Practice

The University of Otago , MIHI 501: Māori/Indigenous Health Innovation is tailored for O&G specialists.

The course explores how these models promote positive engagement, appropriate care/treatment and health advocacy that support Māori health equity. MIHI 501 includes online learning, a one-day on-site workshop and assessment modules, taking between 22–28 hours to complete.

It is mandatory for ŷ��AV trainees, and all members are encouraged to complete the course.

For enquiries regarding registration or course information, please contact the Continuing Education team at the University of Otago Māori/Indigenous Health Institute.

��:��continuing.education@otago.ac.nz
�ʳ�ǲԱ�:��+64 3 479 9181