Human Rights In New Zealand

As New Zealand gears up for a review of its human rights record in Geneva this week, Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand encourages the NZ Government to act upon the key human rights challenges facing this country – including violence against women and indigenous rights.

A review of human rights in New Zealand is being held in Geneva tomorrow (Thursday 7 May) at the fifth session the United Nations' Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group.

"While New Zealand has a reputation for leading human rights internationally, we still don't have a completely clean record," says Patrick Holmes, CEO of Amnesty NZ.

"One in three NZ women face physical or sexual abuse at the hands of their partner, many children in NZ are doing without an adequate standard of living, and indigenous people have customary rights in the foreshore and seabed that have been all but put beyond reach," says Holmes.

These and other human rights concerns were included within Amnesty NZ's submission on the UPR, along with additional concerns from 15 other civil society groups in New Zealand.

"This UPR process is a unique opportunity to ensure that New Zealand is meeting its international human rights obligations, and for the NZ Government to address key human rights issues still affecting New Zealanders every day," adds Holmes.

Background
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a cooperative process created by the UN General Assembly in 2006 which reviews the human rights records of all 192 UN Members States once every 4 years. The review allows member states to show how they have improved human rights in their own country and what they are doing to meet their human rights obligations.

New Zealand's UPR review takes place on Thursday 7 May at 7pm (New Zealand time) and the adoption of the Council's Working Group report takes place on Monday 11 May at 10pm (New Zealand time).Both sessions can be watched on the UN webcast (www.un.org/webcast/unhrc).

Further information about the UPR process and Amnesty International's submission on New Zealand's review can be found at www.amnesty.org.nz/lobbying

ENDS

© Scoop Media