Your Voice Matters 2026 is a nationwide research initiative led by YWCA Auckland. By listening to young women and gender-diverse people, we're building an evidence base to inform our advocacy, programmes and action towards a more gender-equitable Aotearoa..
Headline findings
Across Aotearoa, 1,159 young women and gender-diverse people aged 16–30 shared what is shaping their lives, what needs to change and what gives them hope.
-
5% said they were thriving
-
36% described their wellbeing as struggling or not great
-
57% were financially insecure
-
77% felt unsafe in public spaces after dark
-
41% experienced in-person harassment or harm in the past 12 months
-
84% had low trust in political leaders
The burden is not evenly shared
55% of disabled respondents and 55% of gender-diverse respondents described their wellbeing as struggling or not great. Disabled, neurodivergent and gender-diverse respondents reported poorer outcomes across several measures.
Priorities for Action
The findings point to seven connected priorities: reducing the pressures affecting wellbeing; strengthening financial security; making safety a shared responsibility; removing barriers to opportunity; acting on unequal impacts; sharing power with young people; and investing in connection and collective hope. These are not problems young people should be expected to solve by becoming more resilient. They require action from government, institutions, employers, educators, communities and digital platforms.
The Seven Insights
1. Young people are trying to stay afloat
Only 5% of respondents said they were thriving. Cost of living, mental health, stress, work and study pressures are overlapping, leaving many with little room to recover.
2. Financial insecurity is closing down choices
More than half of respondents were financially insecure. Money pressure affects wellbeing and limits people’s ability to study, work, pursue opportunities and plan for the future. This is not simply a budgeting problem.
3. Safety is a daily calculation
77% felt unsafe in public spaces after dark, while harassment and online harm were common. Respondents described constantly adjusting where they go, how they travel and how visible they feel able to be.
4. Opportunity is not equally accessible
Only 4% were very confident they had the same shot at opportunities as others their age. Money, confidence, information, discrimination, support, location and inaccessible systems all influence who can participate and progress.
5. The pressure is not shared equally
Disabled, gender-diverse, rainbow and neurodivergent respondents faced greater financial insecurity, poorer wellbeing and higher exposure to harm. Overall figures can conceal the heavier burden carried by people already facing structural barriers.
6. Young people feel unheard and trust is low
Trust in political leaders and public institutions was low, and few respondents felt their voices carried real influence. They want meaningful participation, visible accountability and evidence that speaking up leads to action.
7. Hope is alive and it lives in community
Despite the pressure and low trust, 76% were at least somewhat confident positive change was possible. Hope came from whānau, friends, community care, rangatahi leadership and collective action—not from positive thinking alone.
What the Y will do
Your Voice Matters is not the end of the conversation. YWCA Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will use these findings to shape our advocacy priorities, strengthen our programmes and workplace gender-equity work, and make the case for change with decision-makers, funders and partners. Our first step is the 2026 Election Policy Commitments Scorecard, which turns key findings into clear questions for political parties. We will continue involving young women and gender-diverse people as priorities and responses are developed, so their experiences inform not only the evidence, but what happens next.
Download the report
Read the full Your Voice Matters 2026 report to explore the seven insights, respondent voices, equity analysis and priorities for action based on responses from 1,159 young women and gender-diverse people aged 16–30 across Aotearoa.
For a shorter overview, download the two-page summary of the headline findings and priorities.
Questions about the research or interested in using the findings? Email contact@akywca.org.nz
Check out our other Insights reports
