APPENDIX 1. GENERAL MATTERS OF IMPLEMENTATION – ARTICLE 2 A. Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals 1. The New Zealand Government has endorsed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (“the SDG Agenda”). The SDG Agenda is the benchmark by which achievements in human development and human rights will be measured until 2030. Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) is directly linked to the Government’s CAT obligations.2 However, all the Goals are relevant to the implementation of CAT. 2. The Commission considers that implementation of the SDG Agenda in New Zealand’s policy and legislative framework has considerable potential to drive enhanced human rights outcomes. B. Recommendations from International Bodies 3. The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (“SPT”) visited New Zealand for the first time in April 2013. Its report to the New Zealand Government confirmed a number of issues that the Commission and the National Preventive Mechanisms(“NPMs”) have also identified.3 4. In addition, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (“WGAD”) conducted a country visit to New Zealand from 24 March to 7 April 2014. The WGAD acknowledged that, overall, legislation and policy concerning deprivation of liberty in New Zealand is well-developed and generally consistent with international human rights law and standards. However, they drew special attention to the overrepresentation of Māori in the prison population, the detention of refugees and asylum-seekers, and loopholes in law and practices regarding judicial proceedings involving persons with intellectual disabilities. C. OPCAT 5. An overarching challenge that some of New Zealand’s National Preventive Mechanisms (“NPMs”) have consistently raised, is the resources available for OPCAT monitoring. 2 See http://www.humanrights.dk/our-work/sustainable-development/human-rights-sdgs SPT, Visit to New Zealand undertaken from 29 April to 8 May 2013: observations and recommendations addressed to the State party, CAT/OP/NZL/1 3 7