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First review of New Zealand's implementation

In September 2014, the United Nations had the first review meeting on implementation of the Convention by New Zealand. This section has information about the review process.

The Office for Disability Issues, integrated into Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People in 2023, led coordination of the Government's participation in the review.

June 2015 - Government response to the Concluding Observations

In June 2015, the formal Government response to the Concluding Observations from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was released. You can read or download the Government response below.

It is helpful for the Government to receive feedback from sources such as the United Nations on how well we are going with implementing the Convention. It is also useful for New Zealand to use mechanisms such as reporting to the United Nations to compare our progress with what other countries are doing.

In some areas, there is already work underway or an alternative proposal to achieve the underlying objectives, which meant that the Government was unable to progress the specific recommendation of the United Nations Committee.

The Government response has been organised along five key themes across the Concluding Observations:

  1. improving access
  2. justice and self-determination
  3. community living
  4. providing reasonable accommodations
  5. improving data for decision making.

Similar recommendations have been communicated to the Government by the Independent Monitoring Mechanism in its reports published in 2012 and 2014. A Government response has also been made to the Independent Monitoring Mechanism.

Implementation of the Convention is an ongoing process. Government commitment and leadership to implementing the Convention is through the Ministerial Committee on Disability Issues. It sets priorities for cross-government action through the Disability Action Plan.

Read the Government's response and find more information

October 2014 - Concluding observations from the Committee

On 4 October 2014, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities released its Concluding Observations on its review of New Zealand. In response, the Minister for Disability Issues welcomed the recommendations and feedback, and stated that New Zealand will formally respond in 2015.

Read the statement from the Minister for Disability Issues on the Concluding Observations external URL

Read the Concluding Observations

New Zealand Sign Language - Concluding Observations

Find New Zealand Sign Language translations of some parts of the Concluding Observations.

  1. Introduction and Positives external URL
  2. General principles and obligations external URL
  3. Specific obligations external URL

April to June 2014 - List of Issues written response

In late April 2014, the Committee published a List of Issues. These are 31 questions regarding New Zealand's implementation of the Convention which the Government is obligated to provide written answers. The Government submitted its written response in June 2014.

Further information from civil society

Some non-government organisations provided information to the Committee on issues for its consideration.