Submission of the New Zealand Human Rights Commission to the 18 th session of the Human Rights Council; New Zealand’s Second Universal Periodic Review. 25. The government has not provided any assessment of the extent to which the programmes it has identified are successful in improving the realisation of rights for disabled women and girls. The failure to provide this assessment is due, at least in part, to the distinct absence of disaggregated data on the human rights outcomes of disabled women and men. 26. The Families Commission has recently established a Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit to provide high quality independent monitoring and evaluation on how effective various programmes and initiatives are across the social sector. This presents a unique opportunity to assess whether government initiatives aimed at supporting disabled women and girls are working and enabling good lives for this sector of society. The Commission would welcome a commitment from the government to ensure that the Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit’s work specifically include the experiences of disabled women and girls. Children with Disabilities (art. 7) 27. New Zealand has polices in place to support disabled children. However, the extent to which these entitlements are enabling children and young people to have the best opportunity to reach their potential is unclear. There is insufficient data on disabled children to make this assessment. 28. The IMM has noted in its second report on the implementation of the CRPD in New Zealand that: There are a number of current projects contributing to reform of the disability support system...It is critical that these initiatives are available for disabled children as early as possible. 29. The Commission agrees and would welcome a commitment from government to ensure all disability support projects and programmes are accessible to children as early as possible and preferably in the community. Gateway Assessments 30. As noted by the government in its response to the LOI, Gateway Assessments are now conducted on every child or young person entering state care. Referrals are then made to health and education services to address any needs identified. However, there are very few mechanisms available to ensure the safety of disabled children and young people in state care9 (especially those who experience intellectual/learning impairments, and behavioural and/or psychological challenges. 9 Including foster care, youth detention facilities, and child and adolescent mental health facilities in particular. 7