New Zealand Human Rights Commission Submission to the CAT in relation to NZ’s 6th periodic review 93. The Commission is pleased to see that the number of children suffering abuse and neglect in New Zealand has gone down for the first time in 10 years. However more needs to be done to ensure the physical and emotional safety and wellbeing of all children in New Zealand. The Commission recommends that the Government continue to actively monitor the impact of its policies and programmes on reducing the number of children experiencing physical and sexual abuse. Bullying 94. Violence and bullying is endemic in New Zealand schools. Effects on victims can include living with anxiety and fear, lowered self-esteem, engagement in risk-taking behaviours such as substance abuse, self-harming, truanting and dropping-out from school, with associated long term adverse impacts. Victims may also suffer mental health issues including suicidal ideation, relationship difficulties and impeded emotional, behavioural and cognitive development.51 Disabled children and young people, and same-sex attracted, both sex-attracted, trans and intersex children and young people are disproportionately affected by violence in schools. 95. In 2013 the government convened a cross-sector Bullying Prevention Advisory Group (“BPAG”). BPAG has produced a guide for schools to help prevent bullying and to provide practical advice on what to do when bullying occurs. The Commission is part of BPAG along with other accountability mechanisms such the Children’s Commissioner, Ombudsman and Education Review Office. The BPAG has developed an overall plan to prevent bullying. The plan is known as the “Bullying Prevention and Response Strategy and Implementation Plan”. Suggestions that the plan focus only on disabled students and GLBTI students were rejected, at the Commission’s request because in the Commission’s view changing the attitudes of non-disabled and non-GLBTI students was critical to improving inclusion of disabled and GLBTI students. It was agreed that there will be a focus on disabled and GLBTI students but the whole school culture needed to be addressed at the same time. 96. The Ministry of Education’s Positive Behaviour for Learning52 initiative represents a major step towards ensuring that New Zealand schools are safe, positive and 51 Office of the Children’s Commissioner (2009) School Safety: An Inquiry into the safety of students at school http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/SpecialEducation/OurWorkProgramme/PositiveB ehaviourForLearning/About.aspx 52 37