Miriam Dell


Dame Miriam Patricia Dell is a New Zealand women's advocate.

Early life and family

Miriam Patricia Matthews was born in 1924 in Hamilton, the daughter of Ruby Miriam Crawford and Gerald Matthews. She studied science at the University of Auckland, and at age 22 in 1946, she married Richard Dell.

Activism

Dell was a founding member of the Hutt Valley Branch of the National Council of Women. She became National President of the Council in 1970. In 1974, she became chairperson of the Committee on Women and was coordinator for International Women's Year, attending as a member of the New Zealand Government delegation at all three of the UN Conferences for the Decade of Women. She was elected to the Board of Officers of the International Council of Women in 1976, and was International President 1979–1986, Honorary President 1986–1988 and was coordinator of the ICW Development Project Program until her retirement. Dell was the New Zealand Government Delegate to all three United Nations conferences during the decade for women in the 1970s.

Honours

In the 1975 New Year Honours, Dell was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for public services. In 1977, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal. In the 1980 New Year Honours, Dell was promoted to the rank of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to women. In 1990, she was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. On 6 February 1993, Dell was the 22nd appointee to the Order of New Zealand, New Zealand's highest civil honour. Also in 1993, Dell was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.

Patronage

Dell is the patron of the New Zealand Association for Women in Science. In 2013, the New Zealand AWIS launched an award for excellence in science mentoring and titled the award in honour of Dell. The biennial prize is awarded to someone who demonstrates outstanding mentoring efforts to retain females in science, mathematics and technology.