NEW ZEALAND MISSION to the UNITED NATIONS

SIGNING OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS
OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

HIGH LEVEL DIALOGUE

STATEMENT BY

HON RUTH DYSON
MINISTER FOR DISABILITY ISSUES

30 MARCH 2007

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Mr Chair

I would like to begin by commenting on why New Zealand has invested so much to help bring this Convention to fruition. We want to assist the 80% of persons with disability living in developing countries, and especially those near neighbours of ours in the Pacific. We know that persons with disabilities in our own country are disadvantaged compared to their non-disabled peers. And we are working to address that situation.

The very practical focus of this Convention is just what my country supports.

New Zealand has a Disability Strategy, of which we are justifiably proud. Its vision is of a New Zealand where persons with disabilities are fully included and valued. We will know when we have achieved that vision when persons with disabilities report that they are as highly valued as other New Zealanders, and are participating fully in New Zealand society. Our Strategy’s goals are very similar to those of this Convention.

Our government departments have been required, for six years now, to provide me, as Minister for Disability Issues, with both an annual plan detailing how they will implement the Disability Strategy, and an annual report of progress against that plan.

We have definitely made progress – for example, last year we adopted New Zealand Sign Language as our third official language, and only a week ago we repealed the legislation that had allowed sheltered workshops to not be required to follow minimum employment rights legislation. And we have a proven public awareness campaign, “Like Minds, Like Mine”, aimed at reducing discrimination against people who experience mental illness. We have closed all residential institutions for people with learning disability – all of whom are now living, supported, in the community.

But the challenge for us is to ensure that the aspirational objectives of our Strategy are delivered by meaningful action. The considerable detail contained within this Convention will help us on this path.

The Convention is so practically focussed because it was so closely informed by the experiences of persons with disabilities worldwide. They clearly articulated the challenges, difficulties and requirements of persons with disabilities in their interactions with society at large, and it is those areas – and they are many – on which the Convention focuses.

The Convention will be the benchmark for future standards and action.

New Zealand intends to accept the Convention’s call for action, and we hope all other States will do the same. However, having said that, I encourage you to remember that without civil society, without, in particular, those organisations belonging to persons with disabilities, the Convention would not be what it is, and without them its implementation will achieve less than its full potential.

Thank you.

Ends

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