NEW ZEALAND: Children's Rights in the UN Special Procedures' Reports
Summary: This report extracts mentions of children's rights issues in the reports of the UN Special Procedures. This does not include reports of child specific Special Procedures, such as the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, which are available as separate reports.
Please note that the language may have been edited in places for the purpose of clarity.
UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people
Country visit: 18-23 July 2010
Report not yet published; no mentions of children's rights in press release
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UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, Rodolfo Stavenhagen
(E/CN.4/2006/78/Add.3)
Country visit: 16 to 26 November 2005
Report published: 13 March 2006
Mr Stavenhagen identified the following concerns:
- Young Maori are overrepresented in the youth justice system. The Ministry of Justice considers that the current disparities justify targeted programmes and recommends that increased emphasis be placed on evaluation of ethnically targeted crime prevention and reduction programmes. (para 58, p.15)
- Maori students are disadvantaged in the school system. This is a problem which points to as yet unresolved issues concerning culturally appropriate educational methodologies. A major challenge for the educational system is to improve teacher training in the area of Maori education, including Maori teachers, and mainstream classrooms with Maori students. Mr Stavenhagen recommended that New Zealand ensure education for Maori at all levels, including teacher training programmes and the development of culturally appropriate teaching materials. (para 64, p.16, para 97, p.21)
- Maori continue to have a higher infant mortality rate compared to the total population, but the gap is closing. (para 71, p.18)
- Higher rates of suicide among Maori youth than among other youth of the same age group, a situation that may reflect higher family dysfunctions and social disorganisation associated with a history of discrimination. (para 72, p.18)
Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.
