Prof Bev Lawton

Professor Bev Lawton ONZM (Ngāti Porou), is the founder/director of Te Tātai Hauora o Hine (the National Centre for Women’s Health Research Aotearoa, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington) and a pioneering force in women’s health in Aotearoa.

Named Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year (2025), she has driven critical advancements in cervical cancer screening, maternal health, and Indigenous health equity. Bev’s advocacy led to New Zealand’s historic shift to HPV self-testing as the primary method for cervical screening – making Aotearoa the first high-income country to do so.

Bev previously worked as a general practitioner in Wellington for 17 years and co-founded the Wellington Menopause Clinic. These experiences led to an interest in research to address the many questions relevant to women’s health and inequities. Working closely with kaumātua, Bev builds strong relationships with communities, ensuring research is relevant and innovative, and grounded in Māori community engagement. Her research on women’s and children’s health has led to changes in policy and practice in Aotearoa and internationally. She is the co-chair of The International Indigenous HPV Alliance, focusing on Indigenous-led solutions to inform equitable elimination action strategies and the Call to Action “No Elimination Without Us,” and of The Alliance for Perinatal and Reproductive Justice.

Bev was appointed an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit by the Queen for services to women’s health in 2005 and made a Distinguished Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners in 2017. She was awarded the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Māori Women’s Health Award in 2020; the 2021 Women of Influence Award (Innovation, Science and Health); The Beaven Medal by the Health Research Council in 2023; and The Maarire Goodall Award by Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa in 2024.