Trailblazer Dame Margaret Sparrow awarded Honorary Doctorate

It’s difficult to overstate Dame Margaret’s contribution to sexual and reproductive health. A tireless advocate for the contraceptive pill and access to abortion care, Dame Margaret has fought for reproductive rights from the start of her career in the 1960s, through to today. 

After gaining her medical degree at the University of Otago and gaining registration in 1965, she began her medical career in hospitals in Taranaki. She then went on to work in the student health centre at Victoria University of Wellington in the late 1960s. It was here, in the face of student need for contraception and abortion, that she became interested in sexual and reproductive health. She was one of the first doctors to prescribe contraception, ignoring the rules that only allowed it to be given to married couples. She also introduced the morning after pill and helped students get abortions.

In 1971, Dame Margaret started training in family planning with the New Zealand Family Planning Association – now Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa. She worked across clinical, teaching, and research roles up until her retirement in 2005. She was Medical Officer, Senior Medical Officer, Medical Director, and had roles in training other clinicians within the organisation. Additionally, Margaret was media spokesperson – particularly important when we were called upon to respond to issues that were at the time considered contentious.

In 1987, her contribution to the organisation and the field was recognised as she was made Honorary Vice-President and the Wellington clinic was named after her. Margaret still maintains strong connections with the organisation today and holds a wealth of organisational memory. She is a connection to our early history too, through her professional and personal connections with Dr Alice Bush, our chairperson in the early 1960s. An avid collector of contraceptive ephemera, Margaret’s collection of contraceptive devices is on display at the clinic that bears her name.

“The honorary doctorate is a fitting way to recognise Margaret and all that she’s achieved." Ms Edmond continued. "From giving young people the contraception they need, to completing nearly 7,000 vasectomies (including five on her last day of work), and spearheading the campaign to legalise abortion – Margaret has made a huge contribution to women’s sexual and reproductive health.”

Margaret’s sphere of influence is both domestic and global. Her work is recognised as a doctor providing care and good advice, as a researcher, as an author, as a professional colleague, as a teacher, coach and mentor, and as a fearless advocate of sexual and reproductive rights.

In addition to the Honorary Doctorate awarded by the University of Otago, Division of Health Sciences today, Dame Margaret has also received several other honours and awards, including: Member of the Order of the British Empire, Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.