A tireless advocate for compassion, dignity and human rights, Ms Karen Ritchie has been appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for her extraordinary service to people living with HIV/AIDS and to Rainbow communities in Aotearoa.
Of Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi descent, Karen Ritchie has dedicated decades of her life to supporting some of the most marginalised communities in the country, offering practical help, advocacy and hope at times when stigma and discrimination were at their strongest.
Her work with the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF), Body Positive Inc., and Positive Women spans many years and includes countless volunteer hours supporting people navigating HIV diagnosis, treatment and the social impacts of the disease. In recognition of this commitment, she was made a Life Member of NZAF in 2008.
In 2002, Ms Ritchie founded the Cartier Bereavement Charitable Trust, created to support individuals dying of AIDS and their families who could not afford a funeral. For over two decades, the Trust provided dignity and comfort at life’s most vulnerable moment. In 2023, as treatment advances reduced the need for such services, the Trust concluded its work, with remaining funds gifted to the Positive Women’s Institute (PWI) and Body Positive Inc., ensuring its kaupapa would continue to support the community.
Recognising the unique challenges faced by young people after diagnosis, she established the Under 35s HIV Support Group at Body Positive in 2010, creating a safe space for connection, understanding and healing.
Beyond health advocacy, Karen Ritchie has been a powerful voice for safety and inclusion in public spaces. From 2016 to 2023, she helped establish and work with the K’Rd Community Safety Group, responding to rising violence against Rainbow communities and sex workers, and helping make Karangahape Road safer and more welcoming for all.
Her commitment to social justice also includes her role on the Prostitutes Law Review Committee and her advocacy supporting the Prostitution Reform Act 2003, contributing to the decriminalisation of sex work in Aotearoa – a landmark reform recognised internationally for improving safety and rights.
Internationally, Ms Ritchie has been a founding member of the Red Umbrella Fund, an organisation that raises and distributes funds to support sex workers across the globe, serving on its committee for two years and helping shape its early direction.
This honour recognises not only Karen Ritchie’s leadership, but her deep humanity – standing alongside people when they needed it most, challenging injustice, and building safer, kinder communities.
Shanan Halbert MP told Waatea: “It is wonderful to see Karen Ritchie’s decades of service to the rainbow community acknowledged today. At a time when many turned away, Karen cared for people living with AIDS in their final days, a powerful testament to her strength, courage, and deep compassion for others. She is a trailblazer, and her honour is one the entire rainbow community can feel deeply proud of.”
He aroha mutunga kore – a legacy of compassion without end.
