Wellington, Nov 8 (IANS): Women of Indian descent will continue to play an important role in New Zealand's story, according to this country's Minister of Ethnic Affairs Judith Collins.

Her remarks came ahead of her visit to Sydney Saturday where she will address the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) women's conference.

The conference is part of the GOPIO biennial convention.

The programme provides an opportunity to women of Indian ethnicity to network and address current, critical issues confronting women globally.

“All women, including those of Indian descent, have played and will continue to play an important role in New Zealand’s story,” Collins said in a press statement.

“This conference is an excellent opportunity for women from the Asia-Pacific region to come together in solidarity to pave the way in their communities for the next generation to follow,” she added.

Collins will speak in the conference about ‘Equitable Treatment of Women in Business and Profession’ from a New Zealand perspective.

“Our nation has a proud history of women achieving in so many sectors of society: in commerce, politics, in the legal world, in literature, science, arts and on the sports field,” the minister said.

“However, there are still inequalities to address and challenges to overcome. And the challenges facing New Zealand - particularly around increasing the number of women in senior management and leadership positions - are echoed in nations around the world,” she added.