▁the ▁first ▁action ▁for ▁women ' s ▁suff rage ▁within ▁the ▁British ▁Is les . ▁ ▁The ▁Pacific ▁commune ▁of ▁France ville ▁( now ▁Port ▁V ila , ▁Van u atu ), ▁maintained ▁independence ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁self - g over ning ▁nation ▁to ▁adopt ▁universal ▁suff rage ▁without ▁distinction ▁of ▁sex ▁or ▁color , ▁although ▁only ▁white ▁males ▁were ▁permitted ▁to ▁hold ▁office . ▁ ▁Of ▁currently ▁existing ▁independent ▁countries , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁acknow ledge ▁women ' s ▁right ▁to ▁vote ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁self - g over ning ▁British ▁col ony . ▁Un rest rict ed ▁women ' s ▁suff rage ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁voting ▁rights ▁( w omen ▁were ▁not ▁initially ▁permitted ▁to ▁stand ▁for ▁election ) ▁was ▁adopted ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 . ▁Following ▁a ▁successful ▁movement ▁led ▁by ▁Kate ▁She pp ard , ▁the ▁women ' s ▁suff rage ▁bill ▁was ▁adopted ▁weeks ▁before ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁The ▁women ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁prote ctor ate ▁of ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁obtained ▁the ▁same ▁right ▁soon ▁after ▁and ▁beat ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁women ▁to ▁the ▁pol ls ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 . ▁▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁ ▁The ▁self - g over ning ▁British ▁col ony ▁of ▁South ▁Australia ▁en act ed ▁universal ▁suff rage ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁also ▁allowing