2. BACKGROUND AND GENERAL MATTERS OF IMPLEMENTATION 5. New Zealand has high levels of human rights realisation. New Zealanders are generally free to say what they think, read and view what they like, worship where and how they choose, move feely around the country and feel confident in the laws that protect them from discrimination and the arbitrary abuse of power. Most New Zealanders also experience the benefits of economic, social and cultural rights – education, decent work, good health and affordable, healthy housing. 6. Challenges remain, however, to fully realising human rights for everyone in New Zealand. Despite the many efforts of communities and successive governments, disparities in social and economic outcomes remain a reality for some groups of people. Those seriously affected include women and girls, Māori, Pacific people, migrants, refugees and disabled people. 7. These disparities are reflected in material hardship, incarceration rates, education achievement levels, health outcomes, and housing adequacy. Family also status has a significant bearing on outcomes amongst these groups. 8. In 2012, the Committee recommended that the government develop specific equality targets for these groups and that it closely monitor progress.1 In 2014 New Zealand underwent its second Universal Periodic Review (“UPR”) before the United Nations Human Rights Council. One hundred and fifty five recommendations were made to New Zealand. The government accepted 121 of these. By accepting these recommendations the government has committed to take action to improve the realization of rights. These actions are set out in New Zealand’s National Plan of Action for the protection and promotion of Human Rights 2015 – 2019 (“NPA”).2 9. Almost a third of the 155 recommendations made to New Zealand related to continuing disparities in the realisation of social and economic outcomes. A. Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals 10. New Zealand’s commitment to realising the United Nations (“UN”) Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”) will have a significant bearing on its progress in implementing ICESCR. Many of the SDGs have a direct correlation with the government’s ICESCR obligations, such as enabling good health and well-being (Goal 3), ensuring inclusive, quality education for all (Goal 4), achieving gender equality (Goal 5), ensuring decent work for all (Goal 8), and reducing inequalities (Goal 10). 1 Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Concluding observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights¸E/C.12/NZL/CO/3 (31 May 2012). 2 http://npa.hrc.co.nz/#/page/about 3