Human Rights Commission
Media release
8 December 2010

Commission welcomes disability report

The Human Rights Commission welcomes the release of the Convention Coalition disabled people’s organisations’ collaborative report addressing the rights of disabled people in New Zealand.

The report, Disability Rights in Aotearoa New Zealand 2010, is based on interviews with 98 disabled people from around New Zealand, as part of monitoring towards realising the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

“This is a significant and important report, especially given the research was conducted by disabled people for disabled people,” says acting Disability Commissioner Judy McGregor.

The most pressing issue highlighted by participants in the project was social participation, with many of them noting experiences of segregation and isolation. Participants also reported that a major barrier was bureaucratic structures that hindered rather than helped, and mentioned instances of “institutionalised disablism”.

“The Commission notes that the findings show evidence of New Zealand as a disabling society with regard to human rights issues such as civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights,” says Dr McGregor.

Among the recommendations in the report is the development of a disability awareness campaign and disability training for government departments.

The Commission looks forward to working with the Convention Coalition on further monitoring activity in relation to the CRPD.

Download the report (PDF 730Kb).

ENDS

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