In a joint statement made at the UN Human Rights Council, the Humanist Society of New Zealand, the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists, and Humanists International have commended progress on human rights issues in New Zealand, while warning against risks to advancements
The statement was delivered by Mark Honeychurch, Vice President of the Humanists Society of New Zealand, a member organisation of Humanists International. Honeychurch made the intervention via video at the 57th session of the Human Rights Council during the adoption of New Zealand’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR)* report. The organizations welcomed New Zealand’s stated intention to strengthen migrant’s rights and to improve legislation on gender-based violence.
While the statement noted the important areas of progress committed to by New Zealand, it also highlighted some recent moves by the Government which could put its stated commitments at risk. These include the reduction in function of Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People, and of the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority. Honeychurch added, “The Government’s commitment in the UPR to achieving equity in health outcomes should not leave behind Māori or those with disabilities.”
Mark Honeychurch delivers the statement by video
Much of the statement focused on the need to enumerate rights in order to protect them. There is currently an ongoing Law Commission review in New Zealand, looking at sex characteristics, gender identity and expression, as prohibited grounds of discrimination. The organizations called for the explicit inclusion of these characteristics as protected under the Human Rights Act. They also called on the State to be open to dialogue on the inclusion of economic, social and cultural rights in the Bill of Rights Act, in order to safeguard them from rollback.
Finally, the statement called on the Government to safeguard Māori rights by considering a review of the legal status of the Treaty of Waitangi and recommitting to ratifying the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. There has been little movement on this since 2022.
*The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a UN process which involves a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States, by each other. It is a unique human rights mechanism in so far as it addresses all countries and all human rights. The Working Group on the UPR, which is composed of the Human Rights Council’s 47 Member States and chaired by the Human Rights Council President, conducts country reviews. Humanists International supports its members in engagement with the process.
Featured photo by Mario Amé on Pexels.
