New Zealand’s human rights record is being reviewed in January next year and New Zealanders are being asked to give feedback.
Every 4.5 years New Zealand’s human rights performance is reviewed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. New Zealand’s next Universal Periodic Review (UPR) will take place in January 2014 at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. In June this year, more than 35 stakeholders made submissions to inform the review process.
The Government has released its draft UPR report on New Zealand’s human rights record over the past three years. Anyone can comment as long as they do it before 19 September. The report and further information can be accessed here.
The outcome of this review is a series of recommendations to which the government must respond. Where the government accepts a recommendation this signals a commitment to implement it over the next few years.
Stakeholders can participate by:
- Commenting on New Zealand’s draft report
- Lobbying the Government to make voluntary pledges and/or accept recommendations
- Lobbying the Working Group of countries that will review New Zealand’s report
- Making presentations to the UN HRC when the report is being adopted
- Monitoring and participating in New Zealand’s implementation of UPR recommendations
More information, including ways to engage in the process, can be found here.
Source: based on a letter from the Human Rights Commission
