55. New Zealand has the fifth worst child abuse record of 31 OECD countries. A 2008 reportxlvi for Every Child Counts highlighted the extremely limited resources made available for prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. 56. In schools, violence and bullying is concerning, and the lack of a comprehensive national policy on violence and bullying in the education sector is problematic. 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. In 2012 the CESCR recommended (among other things in this area) that the government systematically collect data on violence and bullying in schools.xlvii 57. Drawing on the recommendations of the CRC, CEDAW and CESCR, the Commission recommends that interventions to reduce violence be actively monitored, adjusted and extended on the basis of robust empirical evidence. Right to Housing 58. There have been long standing problems with housing in NZ particularly in relation to the right to habitable and affordable housing.xlviii These problems have been highlighted in the Canterbury earthquake recovery context where a significant proportion of people are struggling with unaffordable rent and house prices, un-repaired, damp and cold homes and over-crowded living conditions. In addition, eligibility for social housing has been restricted to those in greatest need which denies many vulnerable people of their right to adequate housing, particularly people on low and fixed incomes. The Commission has advocated for a cross-party accord on a broad-based national strategy based on CESCR General Comment 4xlix on the right to adequate housing. 59. The Commission recommends that the Government: (a) ensure provision of adequate housing including social housing for people in need and particularly for vulnerable groups;l (b) develop a national housing plan which addresses the rights of people in New Zealand to adequate housing and prioritises the needs of vulnerable people in all tenure types; and (c) adopt a human rights approach to the Canterbury earthquake recovery ensuring appropriate consideration of the adequacy of housingli including for temporary housing.lii Indigenous Rights 60. In 2010 New Zealand indicated its support for UNDRIP and acknowledged that Māori hold a special status as tangata whenua, the indigenous people of New Zealand and have an interest in all policy and legislative matters. The following year the Waitangi Tribunal released its Wai 262 decision regarding Māori intellectual and cultural property rights. It Page 32 of 35