If the initials APW conjure up images of elderly ladies, cake stalls and the odd knitting needle, think again. The Association of Presbyterian Women of Aotearoa New Zealand is more likely to be found having its say at UN conferences than in the corners of draughty church halls.

Since 1998, the APW was granted consultative status to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, the body responsible for all UN initiatives for women's issues, children and human rights (among others).

"I've always looked upon us as door openers and the status is one way we've done so," says Jane Prichard of Auckland, a past president of the APW and present Chair of the Bridgebuilders Trust.

It was a door, however, which the APW wasn't entirely sure it wanted to go through at first. It all began back in 1995, when the APW was one of three New Zealand organizations to be granted observer status at the UN Fourth World Women's Conference in Beijing, China.

"After we had observer status, the APW began to get very excited," says Jane. "When we realized we could go ahead to the next step, the APW was keen to do so."

The next step was applying for consultative status, a cachet that entitles holders to send delegates to all meetings and provide information and input to UN organizations under ECOSOC's control.

Jane was the APW representative chosen to appear before a meeting of Non Governmental Organizations Committee in New York when the application was heard. She admits to some nerves at that point as applicants can be given a thorough grilling. She was thrilled when delegates from countries on the committee (most notably Sri Lanka and India) roundly congratulated the APW for its work in their countries with its projects helping women and their families, providing water wells, schools and hospitals, etc.

"No one ever tells you you're doing good work. It needed to be reflected in a meeting like that when the question was raised 'Are these women worthy of the status?' and the answer was 'yes'.

Areas the APW concentrates on are the position of the girl child, human rights, skills development for women, issues of poverty and combating violence and abuse against women and children - issues the APW have always been concerned with since the 1890s and which sit well with its Christian principles.

The APW has reported back to the UN on New Zealand's implementation of the Beijing platform for action for women and on the status of the girl child in New Zealand. Jane says with the prime minister, leader of the opposition, governor general and chief justice all women, it's tempting to think women in New Zealand are a lot better off than they actually are.