Introduction The Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) welcomes the opportunity to provide information to the Committee to inform its development of the List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR) for New Zealand’s 2nd Periodic Report under the CRPD. On 31 October 2014, the Committee issued Concluding Observations following New Zealand’s first CRPD review. The New Zealand Government subsequently responded to these in June 2015. While some positive developments have occurred1, in the opinion of the IMM, rather than the Recommendations being fully actioned, the majority of the responses have only been either partially actioned or there has been no meaningful action. The IMM is writing to update the Committee as to what the IMM views as the significant developments and key challenges to implementing the CRPD since the Government response was issued. This paper represents a ‘snapshot’ of the issues as at the time of submission. If the IMM becomes aware of any substantive changes in any of these areas or issues identified, the IMM will update the Committee prior to the review. With that in mind, the IMM considers the most pressing issues for New Zealand to be: 1) Data: there are large gaps in disaggregated disability data in New Zealand. 2) Education: engagement with education is one of the most critical protective factors and indicators of a life course. Our education system is not fully inclusive. 42% of disabled young people aged 15-24 are not in education, training or employment.2 3) Employment: Unlocking the employment potential of people with disabilities is critical both for their independence and self-worth. 25% of disabled persons are in the labour force compared to 75% of non-disabled persons. 4) Seclusion and Restraint: seclusion and restraint is overused and not always used as a last resort as part of a suite of options. 5) Access to information and communication: disabled people still are not getting fundamental information communicated in accessible ways. 6) Housing: there is a lack of accessible housing in New Zealand in all housing sectors. A summary of recommendations, including questions that the Committee may wish to ask and information that it may wish to request is set out below. This summary is followed by detailed 1 The State Party would note the work that New Zealand is continuing to progressively realise the UN Convention, for example, around: • • • 2 the revision of the New Zealand Disability Strategy, the transformation of the Disability Support System, and the use of the Washington Short Set of Disability Questions in the 2018 Census. https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/labour-market-statistics-september-2017-quarter Page 2