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. As recognised in the first report, monitoring the Disability Convention presents some unique challenges. These include the breadth of issues covered by the Convention and the lack of disability data and research in important areas. In addition, environmental and attitudinal barriers hinder disabled people’s full participation in society on an equal basis with others. Collectively, these factors can make the effective measurement and assessment of progress difficult. The IMM intends to continue working with government agencies to provide guidance, increase knowledge and to assist in the realisation of rights. The IMM will also speak out independently when issues relating to the Disability Convention arise. Key issues The IMM has identified five broad areas that require particular attention in order to promote greater realisation of the rights set out in the Disability Convention. While promising progress has been achieved in some of these areas during this latest reporting period, much more work is still required. These five key areas are: 1 data 2 accessibility 3 building a people driven system 4 violence and abuse 5 education. Data The dearth of statistics and information relating to disabled people in New Zealand was noted in the first IMM report. But there is a continued absence of quality data based on consistent definitions across a range of indicators. This makes it difficult to obtain an accurate view of many issues that have an impact on the lives of disabled people. It also hinders the measurement of progress and the recognition of improvements that have been made. Statistics New Zealand expects to release the 2013 Disability Survey results in mid-2014. These should provide further valuable information about the experiences of disabled people, their needs and the barriers they encounter. However, ongoing work is required in this area to ensure that robust, timely and useful data are regularly collected across a range of sectors. This data can then be used to make practical changes that will improve the daily experiences of people with disabilities. Accessibility Accessibility is one of the fundamental principles on which the Disability Convention is based. It encompasses the right to access the physical environment, transportation, information and communication, and services. It is important that these multiple components of accessibility are recognised because they are essential for disabled people to live independent and full lives. 29