Number 15: Marilyn Waring
A trailblazing politician who founded feminist economics and was the youngest MP in Parliament in her time.
Overview
Marilyn Waring has been an MP in Parliament; a development consultant and United Nations expert; a human rights activist; was the principle founder of feminist economics; and is an academic and author to boot. Impressive is just one word to describe her.
In 1975, at age 23, Marilyn Waring was elected to the New Zealand Parliament as the MP for Raglan. At the time, she was the youngest MP to enter Parliament as well as only the 15th woman to do so. She later ended up playing a key role in supporting nuclear-free legislation getting passed.
Waring talks to Jennifer Curtin about her books The Political Years, If Women Counted and Still Counting which explore her time in the male-dominated public life and her vision for political equality.