Empowering Wāhine Māori Surgeons: Tania Te Whenua & Vision Research Foundation’s Initiative
*Pictured above: Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer & Tania Te Whenua
Vision Research Foundation has received philanthropic funding to explore ways to enhance support for wāhine Māori to enter surgical careers. The Foundation will partner with Tania Te Whenua of Te Whenua Law and Consulting to scope present support available to wāhine Māori medical students and practitioners seeking to advance to surgical careers and identify any existent gaps. Ophthalmic Surgeon and Vision Research Foundation Scientific Director, Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer says, “Our overall aim is to work with key stakeholders to develop a proposal for initiatives and activities that can be undertaken to address gaps for example by partnering with existing programmes to bolster support for wāhine Māori to advance to surgical careers or establishing new opportunities toward this end.”
The initiative is part of a series of work undertaken by the Foundation to support wāhine Māori to enter surgical careers, something which is close to the heart of Professor Danesh-Meyer, “Nurturing aspirations, fostering resilience, and sculpting a future for wāhine Māori to rise and thrive is a testament to VRF’s commitment to inclusivity and recognition of the role support can play in building surgical careers for women.”
Earlier this year, the Foundation established its first 10-week long summer studentship with support from Pūhoro STEMM Academy, the June Gray Charitable Trust and the Eye Institute. The studentship was awarded to Mikayla Ripeka Kahu of Ngāti Kauwhata who is a second-year medical student at the University of Auckland, a previous Pūhoro STEMM Academy scholarship recipient, and a tutor lead at the Pūhoro STEMM Academy.
As part of the studentship, Mikayla was able to get a taste for surgical practice by participating in clinics and observing eye surgeries at the Eye Institute.
Mikayla also carried out a research project to consider what challenges if any are faced by Māori medical students in their studies, whether there is a need for additional support and if so, what shape that support could take. Mikayla found that the majority of Māori students do experience barriers in their studies, and recommended that Māori medical students, and in particular wāhine Māori medical students, would be better equipped to thrive by additional support including in the early stages of their studies.
Mikayla’s research has informed the work programme that the Foundation is currently undertaking with Tania Te Whenua.
If you are interested in the work of the Foundation to support wāhine Māori into surgical careers contact VRF for more information.
Tania Te Whenua - Tuhoe, Whakatohea; BA Maori Resource Management, LLB Commercial Law
Tania Te Whenua (Tuhoe, Whakatohea; BA Maori Resource Management, and LLB Commercial Law) is a passionate educator and practicing barrister and solicitor with specialist legal expertise in Waitangi Tribunal and Maori Commercial law.
Tania leads Te Whenua Law which specialises in providing affordable advice and advocacy to support Maori social and economic development. The practice covers a broad range of matters from Maori land and asset management to Waitangi Tribunal claims.
The company’s educational arm – Te Whenua Consulting, provides workshops to educate on participants on basic matters of law, and to assist organisations to develop an understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi and improve Maori language and cultural competency amongst staff.
Presently Tania is acting legal counsel to the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and Public Service Association representing their joint position on inequities facing Maori women in employment within the current Waitangi Tribunal Mana Wahine Kaupapa Inquiry; and co-counsel to the New Zealand Maori Council representing their Treaty of Waitangi claim on climate change.
Tania is also the current Maori cultural advisor to the Asia New Zealand Foundation, Horticulture New Zealand and is legal and cultural advisor to the New Zealand Federation of Multicultural Councils. In addition, Tania provides ongoing Treaty of Waitangi and Maori cultural advisory services to a number of additional public-sector entities, tertiary education institutions and charitable organisations across New Zealand including Victoria University of Wellington, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, AgResearch, Canterbury Museum, Orion Energy New Zealand, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
Tania is known for fostering confidence in those with little or no exposure to the Maori language and culture in a safe learning environment.
