A twin-track approach underpinned by Te Tiriti and human rights Tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people must lead solutions A Tiriti and human rights-based approach will only be effective when tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people lead the work to address violence and abuse of disabled people, and lead the solutions. This approach would help to create a framework that: • challenges ableism • dismantles inequity of access to the social and economic factors that affect health • fully resources tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people’s organisations to participate. Te Tiriti and the CRPD underpin such an approach. Recommendations: a snapshot This executive summary provides an overview of the detailed recommendations in the report. Principles and processes to apply when implementing the recommendations are also included. The companion report Whakamanahia Te Tiriti, Whakahaumarutia te Tangata (Honor the Treaty, Protect the Person) has further specific approaches based around Te Tiriti. Much work needs to be done to reduce the many and long-standing risks of violence and abuse and the barriers to reaching safety that disabled people experience. The recommendations in the main report are extensive, which reflects the extent of the work to be done. Yet some improvements can be made now while the structural changes unfold over the longer term. The numbering of the recommendations are for clarity only. They do not indicate priority or hierarchy. Recommendations to rapidly improve service responses to violence and abuse 1. Develop language to describe violence and abuse. Disabled people should lead the development of this language. The language should be cross-sector and shared. 2. Improve data collection and research. Data collection involves actions such as developing protocols for agencies to collect regular data about the abuse of tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people, and disaggregate that data to allow for accurate recording and analysis. The government would also commission qualitative and quantitative research to better understand the extent of violence and abuse and the needs (for prevention, safety and response to violence) of tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people in Aotearoa. Tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people would lead this collection and research. They would have appropriate training, such as understanding the limitations in using such data to guide policy and practice. 3. Enshrine protections in legislation, including protections that improve social participation and improve equality. One urgent need is to progress proposed legislation to ‘accelerate accessibility’. A complementary urgent need is to address the digital divide. 4. Upscale and fully resource responses that are already proven to enhance safety and response. One effective response is an integrated Safeguarding Framework across the health, social and justice sectors. A related recommendation is to implement the recommendations in the evaluation from the ‘Safeguarding Adults From Abuse’ pilot. Acting now for a violence and abuse free future 13