Professor Bev Lawton (CNZM), nō Ngāti Porou, is the founder/director of Te Tātai Hauora o Hine (the National Centre for Women’s Health Research Aotearoa) at Victoria University of Wellington (previously with the University of Otago). Named the 2025 New Zealander of the Year, she was promoted as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2026 from her appointment as an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit by the Queen for services to women’s health in 2005 and was made a Distinguished Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners in 2017. Bev 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.

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 inequalities.

Bev is an appointed member of the Maternity Commissioning Framework Technical Advisory Group (Te Whatu Ora), the National Cervical Screening Programme Advisory Action and Equity Group, and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Māori Health Committee – He Hono Wahine.

Her research on women’s and children’s health has led to changes in policy and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. This includes the National Cervical Screening Programme (which in September 2023 introduced human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical screening with self-testing as the universal offer), the establishment of the Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM) monitoring program in Aotearoa New Zealand, improved systems for maternal health with regards to post-partum contraception, accident and emergency management of SMM and the establishment of SMM audit in Sri Lanka.

Bev’s significant contribution to advancing Māori health is in the field of cervical cancer prevention, particularly her advocacy and research in HPV self-testing aiming to increase cervical screening uptake for wāhine Māori, especially in rural communities. Bev has been a strong advocate for a change in the cervical screening programme to ensure it is safe and equitable for wāhine Māori.

Bev is the co-chair of two international Indigenous alliances: The International Indigenous HPV Alliance and The Alliance for Perinatal and Reproductive Justice.

Bev is a primary investigator for the following research projects in progress:

Point-of-care-testing – Improving access to timely and safe care for rural whānau (funded by the HRC).

Manaaki te iti Kahurangi: Improving outcomes for whānau (funded by the HRC).

Whanake te Kura: Flourishing pēpi and whānau (funded by the HRC).

Hapū Whānau: Implementing iwi-owned services hubs to improve outcomes (funded by the HRC).

PREVIOUS RESEARCH PROJECTS:

He Tapu Te Whare Tangata—the sacred house of humanity - is a programme of work exploring human papillomavirus (HPV) screening to prevent cervical cancer. The studies include a cluster randomised control trial alongside qualitative studies exploring HPV self-testing. Cervical screening and early treatment for cervical pre-cancerous changes are important for a healthy cervix, free of cervical cancer. Looking for HPV is more effective than cytology as primary cervical screening to prevent cervical cancer, and it can be done by a self-test using a vaginal swab. Significantly, being able to self-test for HPV reduces barriers to screening, and therefore has the potential to support He Tapu Te Whare Tangata, by addressing inequities in access to cervical screening and follow-up for Māori.

He Tapu Te Whare Tangata: Empowering rural solutions.
This study in partnership with Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust and Ngāti Porou Hauora uses an innovative cervical cancer prevention pathway utilising Human Papillomavirus HPV) self-testing and innovative point-of-care technology. Findings from this study will have implications for the broader delivery of rural health services.

Implementing HPV primary testing to prevent cervical cancer in Aotearoa: Te Tai Tokerau.

There were important questions that need to be answered before a national programme of HPV primary screening was implemented in Aotearoa New Zealand. This study investigated effective implementation strategies working alongside district health boards, primary care, communities and the Ministry of Health.

Severe Acute Maternal Morbidity (SAMM) & SAMM Kids

The SAMM project identified opportunities to improve maternal health outcomes and avoidable morbidity. This study used an internationally validated preventability tool and multidisciplinary panels of experts to audit real cases of severe maternal morbidity, involving audit and retrospective chart reviews with Kaumātua (elder) guidance. They highlighted that two-thirds of the cases analysed were preventable or needed improvement in care and most of the preventability was due to clinician factors such as delay in diagnosis and delayed or inappropriate treatment. Following this study, the New Zealand Ministry of Health funded the translation of the SAMM process to the Health Quality and Safety Commission (HQSC) to establish SAMM reviews.

The follow-on SAMM Kids study examined the outcomes of pēpi (babies) whose mothers had a SAMM event and the potential preventability of associated adverse fetal/neonatal outcomes. SAMM events were associated with high rates of adverse fetal/neonatal outcomes, with a higher burden of adverse events for pēpi of Māori wāhine. SAMM and SAMM Kids were Māori-led studies supporting equity and the kaupapa (purpose) of reducing Māori māmā and pēpi mortality and morbidity.

Whānau Manaaki: Methamphetamine – a strength-based community approach.
This Kaupapa Māori study aimed to contribute to and explore the impact of methamphetamine on the health and wellbeing of Māori pregnant women, their infants and whānau, map existing services and co-design interventions to reduce harm.

Whānau Manaaki programme - three projects addressing maternal and child outcomes including:

He Korowai Manaaki.
He Korowai Manaaki is a comprehensive wraparound approach to the pregnancy pathway. This pathway is based on the rationale that early, evidence-based care and more support from maternity through to childhood will lead to improved health and long-term wellbeing for wāhine (women) and tamariki (children), and potentially for their whole whānau.

Tamariki Kokoti Tau–Tackling Preterm quantitative study.
This project looked in depth at the rates of preterm babies and clinical care pathway for babies born prematurely in New Zealand to see how we can improve care and the health status of these babies. This project provides the statistical analysis for the data collected and looks at the specific quantitative impact.

Tamariki Kokoti Tau–Tackling Preterm qualitative study.
This Kaupapa Māori qualitative longitudinal study examines the experiences of whānau (families) as they journey along the preterm care pathway until one year after baby’s delivery. It examines the experiences, barriers and facilitators faced by whānau and will inform us of structural and clinical issues that we can address to reduce the burden of disability and harm of preterm birth.

E Hine

The Kaupapa Māori qualitative longitudinal study explored the experiences of wāhine Māori aged less than 20 years in pregnancy, and the early childhood years. This project uncovered a vast range of issues from the depth of experiences of these māmā. We learnt that the birthing experiences of these young māmā often included racism, stigma, mental health stresses, poorer access to Lead Maternity Carers, and housing stresses. Findings have informed advocacy to improve connection to midwifery care during pregnancy, contraception provision following birth, welfare support for young whānau, and the provision of quality, affordable housing close to whānau supports for those wanting to live independently.