8 S e c t i o n ONE – G ENE RAL Across Human Rights in New Zealand 2010 a number of themes have emerged. International human-rights standards The international human-rights framework has a welcome and growing visibility in government and among some sectors of New Zealand society. During the period under review, there have been three new international humanrights instruments of direct interest to New Zealand: the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture; the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Commission’s report shows that the ratification by New Zealand of the first two has already had an effect on the wellbeing of disabled people and those held in detention. Ratification has served to raise expectations among different communities about their implementation. Human Rights in New Zealand 2010 also reveals increa- and conventions in New Zealand law. But for the most part these continue to be ad hoc, and there is still no comprehensive incorporation of ratified treaties in New Zealand’s domestic law. The Treaty of Waitangi The question of the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements remains unresolved. The Government issued in May 2010 a statement of support for the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a document that offers an international perspective that could assist a national conversation on the contemporary and future significance of the Treaty of Waitangi. Participation Participation emerges as critical issue for a robust democracy and harmonious race relations. Lack of sing references to human rights and specific covenants Thirty priority areas for action on human rights in New Zealand: SECTION THree – ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS Right to Health Capacity 14 Amending the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 to better reflect the concept of capacity in line with international standards Right to Education Human Rights values 15 Implementing the human rights values explicit in the New Zealand curriculum, Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and Te Whäriki, to ensure that early childhood services and schools respect diversity, are free from violence and enable full participation by children and young people Right to Work Equal Employment Opportunities framework 16 Implementing a new framework for equal employment opportunities that addresses access to decent work for disadvantaged groups such as Mäori, Pacific youth and disabled people Right to Housing Homelessness 17 Developing and implementing regional and national strategies to reduce homelessness Social housing provision 18 Increasing the supply and diversity of social housing Poverty Reduction 19 Reducing child poverty through a co-ordinated and integrated approach, with specific attention to Mäori, Pacific and disabled children Adequacy of core benefits 20 Reviewing and addressing the adequacy of core benefit rates Right to Social Security