New Zealand rates well in improving the status of women but more needs to be done in the areas of violence against women, and pay and employment equity, according to a report released Monday.

New Zealand's Sixth Report on its Implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) will be presented to the United Nation's Cedaw Committee in 2007.

The report said considerable progress has been made in addressing New Zealand's obligations under the convention, and New Zealand now has paid parental leave and the government intended to extend further its scope and coverage.

"However, there are still areas in which further progress is required, particularly in the areas of violence against women and pay and employment equity."

The nature of these issues is complex, interdependent and cross- cutting, so it could take longer to resolve, the report said.

It said women's median hourly pay is 14 percent less than that of men.

On the issue of violence against women, 2004 research found that 33 percent of women in biggest city Auckland and 39 percent of women in Waikato, another city, has experienced at least one act of physical and/or sexual violence by a heterosexual partner in a lifetime.

Pay equity remains an issue with women earning on average 20 percent less than their male counterparts, even in the same professions, said the report.

It said Women's employment is still concentrated in female- dominated occupations and New Zealand lagged the world in the number of women on private sector boards.

Source: Xinhua