Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Embargoed until 4.15am, 19 October 2007
Speech Notes

Human rights priorities and development assistance
Speech to the Raoul Wallenberg Institute,
Lund, Sweden,
3.15pm, 18 October

Thank you for the invitation to address this institute today.

The economic disparities between developed and developing countries have never been more visible.

We see examples of this in the media every day. Those images underline the fact that no matter what we do to create infrastructure and mechanisms that promote and protect human rights in developing countries, day-to-day realities often prevent them from delivering.

The range and level of human rights enjoyed in different countries can be influenced not only by a state’s willingness to adhere to the obligations it has undertaken, but also by its technical and financial ability to do so.

Economic progress and the advancement of human rights go hand in hand. This was recognised by leaders at the 2005 World Summit. They also acknowledged that development, peace and security, and human rights were interlinked and mutually reinforcing.

Development assistance needs to address fundamental freedoms and human rights for all, but in particular the rights of the poorest and most vulnerable.

When the New Zealand government decided in 2001 to establish a new semi-autonomous agency for international development assistance – called NZAID – it directed that human rights be mainstreamed into the agency’s work to alleviate poverty.

In recent years, developing countries have increasingly argued that Western states place too much emphasis on civil and political rights, and too little on economic, social and cultural rights, and the important developmental concerns these embody.

We don’t believe that any country should be excused from the full implementation of its core human rights obligations – although we understand the challenges faced by developing countries.

What we do believe is that capacity building and technical assistance for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms must be a key feature of any development policy.

Eliminating poverty is the fundamental principle on which New Zealand development assistance is founded, and it has never been higher on the international agenda.

Human rights are at the core of all development policy. Where there is poverty, fundamental rights and freedoms are at risk.

The majority of New Zealand’s development assistance is channelled to our neighbours in the Pacific. Our development goals in the region reflect a humanitarian agenda – the right to food, education, health care and decent living standards.

Good governance is also important. New Zealand, like many other countries, believes good governance is essential for the delivery of human rights and sustainable long-term development.

When governments break down, protection gaps in the rights of citizens quickly emerge.

In the Pacific, this has been most recently seen in Fiji. Following the military coup last December, a range of apparent human rights violations have come to the fore, with deaths in military and police custody of particular concern.

In times of political uncertainty, government structures established to promote and protect the human rights of citizens suffer or even collapse, creating additional vulnerabilities for citizens at risk.

In addition to specific governance components within some bilateral programmes, NZAID has a stand-alone programme geared towards good governance and human rights capacity-building in the Pacific.

Among other things, the programme aims to improve economic and financial decision-making; strengthen law and justice; provide media training; support human rights institutions and activities; strengthen democratic systems, and support leadership development.

The opportunity for the poor to participate in broader economic development initiatives, or to have access to essential services such as health and education, is an important aspect of New Zealand’s broader governance agenda.

Gender equality and women’s empowerment have a key role to play in this, and NZAID provides assistance targeted at improving the status of women, particularly in the Pacific.

Development assistance is rendered much less effective unless the components of good governance are in place and are functioning.

To this end, NZAID promotes greater attendance by Pacific Island peoples at regional and international conferences, including human rights forums. It also funds training for youth educators to be advocates for child rights in rural Pacific communities; and, as mentioned, it supports women’s rights advocacy.

The Pacific Regional Health programme is another important strand of our development focus in the Pacific.

In New Zealand, a baby girl born today has a life expectancy of around 81 years. As she grows older she will have access to high-quality health care services, including maternity care. She will benefit from good schooling and good nutrition, and will have access to excellent treatment and rehabilitation services should she develop chronic illnesses later in life.

By contrast, a baby girl born in Papua New Guinea has a life expectancy of 56 years and may not receive good nutrition or access to quality health care, including immunisation, particularly if she is born in a rural area.

As she grows into adolescence, she may marry and give birth to four or more children. She herself is at high risk of dying in childbirth and it is possible that one or more of her children will die in infancy.

Should she survive into middle age and fall ill from chronic illness, there is little prospect that adequate treatment will be available and she will, therefore, die prematurely.

New Zealand recognises the right of everyone to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. It has been well established that better health reduces poverty, and that reduced poverty improves health.

We believe that by seeking to improve health standards through programmes that strengthen leadership, self-determination and capacity in the local health sectors of the Pacific and elsewhere, New Zealand is helping realise its human rights commitments.

Indeed, improving the health of those living in poverty is a cornerstone of NZAID’s commitment to achieving a safe and just world, free of poverty. That is why New Zealand’s Pacific Regional Health programme is a key strand of our development assistance to the region.

Earlier this year New Zealand announced a record increase in our aid spending, of over 20 per cent in the next twelve months, and by nearly 70 per cent over the next four years.

This increased commitment will allow us to address urgent needs in the Pacific and Asia. Over half of the new funding will be spent in the Pacific, particularly in Melanesia, where the need is the greatest.
In addition, New Zealand officials are engaging actively in negotiations in Geneva to elaborate an Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

These are complex negotiations and it is not at all clear where they will come out. But we think that it is important to participate in them in good faith, given the significance of the issues.

For its part, New Zealand will continue to prioritise development and the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all people.

Building on that priority, New Zealand has announced its candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council, for the period 2009-2012.

Development and human rights goals are at the heart of New Zealand’s engagement in the Pacific, and we believe we are well placed to represent economic, social and cultural interests on the Council.

Certainly our unique relationship with the Pacific offers us particular experience in dealing with the complex challenges faced by small developing countries.

Reducing the economic disparities between developed and developing countries is everyone’s business.

The issues are complex, and involve a range of policy approaches.

The mutually reinforcing relationship between development assistance and human rights protection is a fundamental part of that equation.

New Zealand will continue to put its efforts behind the promotion of those objectives both in our region and beyond.

ENDS

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