New Zealand Human Rights Commission Submission to the CAT in relation to NZ’s 6th
periodic review
6.
The Commission recommends that the Government commit to amending its BORA
reporting process to require section 7 reports - in the modified form referred to above
at paragraph 41 – on substantive SOPs.
7.
The Commission recommends that:
the requirement set out in section 7.60 of the Cabinet Manual be more explicit
in requiring identification of implications in relation to international human
rights commitments and extended to apply to all policy and legislation (both
primary and secondary); and
Ministers and officials be directed to strictly adhere to current and extended
Cabinet Manual requirements.
8.
The Commission urges the Committee to encourage New Zealand to continue to
mainstream human rights by inter alia developing and implementing capacitybuilding programmes for parliamentarians and senior civil servants.
9.
The Commission recommends that funding levels should be increased without delay
to cover the actual costs of OPCAT work of NPMs, where the appropriation for
OPCAT work is less than the actual costs of that work, and to enable NPMs to carry
out more site visits and to establish a coordinated mechanism to engage the services
of experts to assist with those visits.
10.
The Commission urges the Government to prioritise reviewing the scope of the
OPCAT mandate in New Zealand with a view to identifying ways to address the gaps
in monitoring all places where people are deprived of their liberty. Any increase in
scope would need to be properly funded.
Violence
11.
The Commission recommends that the Government commit through the Social Sector
CEO Group – or another appropriate forum – to:
develop in consultation with civil society an agreed definition of sexual and
family violence and appropriate minimum data set of indicators; and
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