Re-igniting the Commission’s commitment to becoming a Te Tiritibased organisation - The Journey In 2015, the Commission committed to becoming a Te Tiriti O Waitangi based organisation as part of its Te Mana i Waitangi work programme. Two specialist kirimana were contracted to bolster and support the organisation’s goal to becoming Te Tiriti-based. A series of noho marae and wānanga were held with the leadership team and staff to discuss, develop and build a Human Rights Commission Te Tiriti framework. Three workstreams emerged from the wānanga; 1. Mana Tangata cultural capability - designed to develop the cultural capability of our people and delivered through an internal Māori Cultural Capability building programme, Tiakina. 2. Mana Whare developing organisational excellence by recalibrating the organisation’s processes, policies and systems to better support a Tiriti-based organisation. 3. Mana Tikanga to develop and refresh organisational identity and brand in the physical and digital environments. The Commission has seen highs and lows in the resourcing of and activities in its Te Tiriti-based organisation work over the five years to 2019. The decision was made in 2019 to elevate that commitment and establish a Pou Ārahi role with specialist ownership for Te Tiriti o Waitangi and indigenous rights, as well as Deputy CEO responsibilities. In February 2020 Tricia Keelan joined the Commission in the newly created role of Pou Ārahi. 10 Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2019/20 In March 2020, an all Commission staff hui highlighted Te Whakaputanga (the 1835 Declaration) and Te Tiriti o Waitangi with a visit to the He Tohu installation of the documents at the National Library. This marked the beginning of a re-ignition of the Commission’s journey and renewed commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Pou Ārahi has worked with Ahi Kaa, the leadership team and Commissioners to achieve the following highlights in 2020: • Led and implemented a Te Hā o Te Tiriti response to the COVID-19 pandemic from April 2020 • Established and operationalised appropriate tangata whenua guidance arrangements through the Independent Monitoring Mechanism for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in April 2020 • Initiated establishment of Tiriti-based partnership arrangements with the National Iwi Chairs Forum in May 2020 • Led three days of Te Hā o Te Tiriti valuing and visioning wānanga in June 2020.