E. Participation 66. All individuals and communities are entitled to active and informed participation on issues relating to their housing, including policy making and accountability. Te Tiriti requires government to work in partnership, and share decision-making, with its Tiriti partners. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples highlights the right to free, prior and informed consent in relation to initiatives, including housing-related initiatives, that affect indigenous peoples. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities includes an obligation to actively involve disabled people in all issues, including housing, that affect them. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, all children may participate in decisions that affect them, in accordance with their age and maturity. These and other national and international human rights commitments affirm the democratic principle of ‘nothing about us, without us’. Guideline 14: In accordance with international human rights treaties and declarations, ensure all individuals and communities have the opportunity for active and informed participation on housing issues that affect them. Additionally, Te Tiriti requires government to work in partnership, and share decision-making, with its Tiriti partners. F. A human rights-based housing strategy grounded on Te Tiriti 67. Realisation of the right to a decent home grounded on Te Tiriti does not happen spontaneously, it requires an overarching housing strategy. 68. A housing strategy operates at a higher level than a housing policy or programme. It has a vision of change over time and engages numerous bodies, including central and local government. It coordinates a wide range of government departments, laws, policies, programmes and initiatives that, when taken together, create a housing system. 69. Numerous human rights contribute constructively to a housing strategy, including the rights to privacy, health protection, water and sanitation, participation, and cultural life. However, a human rights-based housing strategy grounded on Te Tiriti must have the right to a decent home at its centre. 28 Human Rights Commission 70. At the end of her visit to Aotearoa in 2019, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing affirmed the following recommendation which was made by a United Nations committee of independent human rights experts in 2018: “The Committee recommends that [New Zealand] adopt a human rights-based national housing strategy”.25 In 2018, the Special Rapporteur published a report which sets out Key Principles of a Rights-based Housing Strategy (see Appendix 3). Guideline 15: Central and local government must have an overarching housing strategy. The housing strategy must be based on human rights and Te Tiriti. The Te Tiriti and human rights-based housing strategy must have the right to a decent home at its centre.