▁women ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁vote ▁in ▁parliament ary ▁elections . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁Liberal ▁government ▁which ▁passed ▁the ▁bill ▁generally ▁advoc ated ▁social ▁and ▁political ▁reform , ▁the ▁elect oral ▁bill ▁was ▁only ▁passed ▁because ▁of ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁person ality ▁issues ▁and ▁political ▁accident . ▁The ▁bill ▁granted ▁the ▁vote ▁to ▁women ▁of ▁all ▁races . ▁New ▁Zealand ▁women ▁were ▁denied ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁stand ▁for ▁parliament , ▁however , ▁until ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁almost ▁a ▁third ▁of ▁the ▁M embers ▁of ▁Parliament ▁elected ▁were ▁female . ▁Women ▁recently ▁have ▁also ▁occupied ▁powerful ▁and ▁symbol ic ▁offices ▁such ▁as ▁those ▁of ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁( J en ny ▁Sh i ple y , ▁Helen ▁Clark ▁and ▁current ▁PM ▁Jac inda ▁Ar dern ), ▁Governor - General ▁( C atherine ▁T izard ▁and ▁Sil via ▁Cart w right ), ▁Chief ▁Justice ▁( S ian ▁E lias ), ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁( M arg aret ▁Wilson ), ▁and ▁from ▁ 3 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁to ▁ 2 3 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁all ▁four ▁of ▁these ▁posts ▁were ▁held ▁by ▁women , ▁along ▁with ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ▁as ▁Head ▁of ▁State . ▁ ▁The ▁Amer icas ▁Women ▁in ▁Central ▁and ▁South ▁America , ▁and ▁in ▁Mexico , ▁lag ged ▁behind ▁those ▁in ▁Canada ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁gain ing ▁the ▁vote . ▁E cuador ▁enf ranch ised ▁women ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁and ▁the