21 Jul 2008

Exclusive female scholarships defended

7:58 am on 21 July 2008

The University Students Association says female-only scholarships are still needed for women to achieve equality.

The Human Rights Commission is considering whether such scholarships are discriminatory to men and breach the Human Rights Act, after research concluded women are more likely to participate and do well at university than men.

The association says students would oppose the abolition of women's scholarships because the criteria often include other factors such as ethnicity and hardship.

One of the most prestigious women-only scholarships available in New Zealand is the Ethel Benjamin prize, a $50,000 scholarship awarded to a high-achieving female law student.