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Margaret Bedggood

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Margaret Bedggood
Bedggood in 2019
Born
Margaret Ann Bedggood

(1939-04-10) 10 April 1939 (age 85)
Takapuna, New Zealand
Awards
Academic background
Alma materUniversity of Auckland
University College, London
University of Otago
InfluencesWilliam Temple
Academic work
Institutions

Margaret Ann Bedggood CNZM QSO (born 10 April 1939), known for a time by her married name of Margaret Mulgan, is a New Zealand jurist, and an honorary professor at the University of Waikato. She was the chief human rights commissioner for New Zealand from 1989 to 1994. Following this, she spent five years as Dean of the Faculty of Law at University of Waikato. Bedggood has also taught at the University of Otago, and tutors at the University of Oxford. Bedggood retired in 2003, but retains a position as an honorary professor and still supervises students.

Early life and family

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Bedggood was born in Takapuna on 10 April 1939, the daughter of John Thomas Bedggood and Caroline Bedggood (née Slaughter).[1][2][3] She was married to Richard Mulgan in 1964,[2] and has three children.[1]

Academic career

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Bedggood completed a Master of Arts degree in Latin at the University of Auckland in 1960, a Master of Arts degree at University College London in 1964, and a Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Otago in 1978.[4] During the 1960s, she spent time tutoring classics in London, and observed the disparity of opportunity created by pervasive class discrimination. She credits this experience, and reading William Temple's book Christianity and Social Order, as creating her "desire to be an agent of change".[4] Her move from classics to law at age 32 was motivated by the practicalities of having small children and her work with Amnesty International, of which she had been a member since 1968.[5]

In the 1980s, Bedggood lectured in labour law at the University of Otago, where she met Professor Alexander Szakáts, who she describes as "the brilliant pioneer of labour law in New Zealand".[4]

In 1988, Bedggood was invited to apply to be the chief human rights commissioner, and she held the position from 1989 to 1994. During her tenure, the Human Rights Act 1993 was enacted. Following this, she spent five years as Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Waikato.[5][4]

Bedggood has been a visiting fellow at Kellogg College, Oxford, and tutors in international human rights law.[6] Bedggood retired in 2003, but retains a position as an honorary professor at the University of Waikato and still supervises students.[5]

Bedggood served on the International Board of Amnesty International from 1999 to 2005.[4] She has been on the Refugee Council of New Zealand, and was a trustee of the Aotearoa New Zealand Peace and Conflicts Studies Centre at the University of Otago.[6]

Honours and awards

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Bedggood was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal in 1993.[7] In the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.[8] She was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Waikato in 2010.[4] In the 2019 New Year Honours, Bedggood was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to human rights law.[9][10]

Personal life

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Bedggood describes herself as a "cradle" Anglican and a member of The Third Order.[4]

Selected works

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  • International human rights law in Aotearoa New Zealand. Margaret Bedggood, Kris Gledhill, Ian McIntosh. Wellington. 2017. ISBN 978-1-988504-29-2. OCLC 1027999836.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Bedggood, Margaret (January 2010). "Studying the Law in Context: Exploring an International Dimension of New Zealand Law". Waikato Law Review: Taumauri. 18: 53–65 – via Informit.
  • Bedggood, Margaret; Gledhill, Kris (2011). Law into action : economic, social and cultural rights in Aotearoa New Zealand. Thomson Reuters. ISBN 978-0-86472-723-7. OCLC 707893993.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Margaret Ann Bedggood (formerly Mulgan)" (PDF). University of Waikato. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b Traue, J. E., ed. (1978). Who's Who in New Zealand (11th ed.). Wellington: Reed. p. 203. ISBN 0-589-01113-8.
  3. ^ "Births". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. 76, no. 23319. 12 April 1939. p. 1. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Dugdale, Susan (27 April 2017). "Margaret Bedggood – The Legal Luminaries Project". Legal Insight New Zealand. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Professor Margaret Bedggood". University of Waikato. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Professor Margaret Bedggood, of Auckland, CNZM for services to human rights". Government House. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  7. ^ "The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 – Register of recipients". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  8. ^ "No. 53334". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 12 June 1993. p. 38.
  9. ^ "New Year honours list 2019". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  10. ^ "New Year's honours for Waikato professor and alumna". University of Waikato. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2023.