Conducting a National Inquiry into Systemic Patterns of Human Rights Violation
The New Zealand Human Rights Commission embedded the
recommendations of the National Inquiry into Discrimination Experienced
by Transgender People into its research, policy development, education,
advocacy, monitoring and reporting activities. The recommendations informed
reports to various international monitoring committees. As a result, the
concluding observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child to the
New Zealand Government in 2016 included four recommendations relating
to the treatment of intersex children and the 2019 Universal Periodic Review
included two broader SOGISC recommendations.
Ten years after the release of its report a review of progress against the
recommendations was made. It identified what had happened and the gaps
that still needed addressing.
KEY POINTS: CHAPTER 15
• The NHRI, as a permanent organisation, has a responsibility to follow-up the
inquiry to promote implementation of its recommendations.
• Later in the inquiry’s life, the NHRI should develop a follow-up strategy to
direct its work after the release of the report.
• The follow-up strategy should be directed towards building and maintaining
commitment among relevant academic institutions and NGOs and towards
placing sustained pressure on the Government and others to whom
recommendations are directed.
• The NHRI also has a continuing role in monitoring and reporting publicly on
implementation of the inquiry’s recommendations. It should prepare and
release an annual report on implementation, at least for the first few years
after the inquiry has reported.
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