5:19 AM |
Dear colleagues
I am writing to invite you to a meeting to discuss the outcomes of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on New Zealand, which were adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on 24 September 2009.
New Zealand has strongly supported the introduction of the UPR, as it has the potential to be a positive and useful component of the Council's work. New Zealand's national report was the product of an open and consultative process, involving many groups inside and outside the Government. The Government accepted unreservedly 33 of the 64 recommendations of the UNHRC Working Group, and an additional 12 were agreed to with further discussion. A qualified response was given to 11, and only eight were rejected. A copy of New Zealand's response can be found at: http://lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session5/NZ/A_HRC_12_8_NZL_Add1_E.pdf. Many of the recommendations focussed on challenging areas which the Government had already recognised as requiring further attention, including the social disparities between Maori and non-Maori, the status of the Treaty of Waitangi in domestic legislation, family violence, over-representation of certain ethnic groups in the criminal justice system, and ratification of human rights treaties to which New Zealand was not party.
The Universal Periodic Review has given New Zealand the opportunity to subject its human rights record to scrutiny. The Government has greatly appreciated the efforts of all those who have contributed so positively to New Zealand's review. To build on what we have learnt from the process, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights Commission would like to invite representatives from interested non-government organisations to a meeting at the Wellington offices of the Human Rights Commission on Wednesday, 7 October 2009 (from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon). Further meetings will be held in Auckland and Christchurch at dates to be confirmed.
The purpose of these meetings is to discuss the responses to the UPR recommendations and, in particular, to discuss how to better involve civil society in the international human rights treaty reporting process.
Could you please let me know if you are able to attend the meeting in Wellington. Please note that the Human Rights Commission has recently shifted offices and are now located at Level 1, The Vector Building, 44 The Terrace.
Please advise, if you would prefer to attend the meetings in either Auckland or Christchurch and I will forward the details of the relevant meetings once they have been confirmed.
Kind regards
Stuart Beresford
Policy Manager
Human Rights team
Ddi: 04 494 9777
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