Impacts
More people in New Zealand know and practise their rights and fulfil
their responsibility to respect the human dignity and rights of others.
People and organisations that have legal obligations to respect and
protect human dignity and rights do so.
On-the-spot information about human rights and responsibilities is
available to the public through the Commission’s Infoline service.
Infoline received 5236 new enquiries, complaints and requests for the
Commission’s publications. Of these, 64 per cent (3341) requested the
Commission’s help in resolving their human rights complaint. Twenty-eight
per cent (1442) sought assistance including advice about human rights
obligations, data for research, legal advice, and assistance with human
rights training. Four per cent (231) registered concern about a current
human rights issue. The number of people calling Infoline to register
concern about human rights has fallen sharply with the advent of the
Commission’s social media profile. Most of the enquiries and complaints
related to employment and government activity, with race most often
being the reason or ground for contacting the Commission.
Skilled Infoline advisors provide a sounding board and information for
both complainants and respondents, often resulting in the prevention of
human rights disputes. Infoline dealt with 56 per cent of the incoming
new human rights matters by talking callers though a situation,
referring them to a more appropriate agency, or providing human rights
information for callers to resolve the problem themselves.
The following chart shows the enquiries received by the Commission
that pertained to a prohibited ground of discrimination, coupled with
complaints alleging unlawful discrimination. There were 338 enquiries
and complaints about a race related ground of discrimination: that is race,
colour, ethnic or national origin. There were 35 enquiries and complaints
about racial disharmony, and 80 to do with racial harassment. Disability
is another ground with a high number of enquiries and complaints (354).
Enquiries and complaints on the grounds of sex numbered 177, with 78
about sexual harassment.
For some years now, the majority of enquiries and complaints about
discrimination have been in the area of employment (338). Alongside
approaches to the Commission about pre-employment discrimination,
this combined area of employment accounted for 40 per cent of
discrimination enquiries and complaints. Enquiries and complaints about
discrimination in the area of government activity have been declining
for the last four years, this year accounting for 363, or 29 per cent of
discrimination enquiries and complaints.
Annual Report 2015
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