deprivation, an issue highlighted before the Committee in 2016, appear to have worsened. Structural discrimination remains at similar levels across a wide range of socio-economic indicia. 8. This indicates that the significant structural reforms since 2016 are yet to materialise into significantly improved outcomes for children. This is due, in part, to the timeframes required for change to occur. The Child Poverty Reduction Act, for example, introduces ten-year poverty reduction targets. Its effectiveness will accordingly become evident over time. 9. In addition, there is currently a large amount of reform occurring across the social sector, much of which directly affects children. This includes new legislation governing the education system and a fundamental review of the social security system. Formal inquiries are also being undertaken (including a Royal Commission of Inquiry) into historic and current failings of New Zealand’s child protection and state care system. Structure of this submission 10. This submission is structured under the nine thematic areas of the standard Convention reporting format: A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. A. General measures of implementation Definition of the child General principles Civil rights and freedoms Violence against children Family environment and alternative care Disability, health and welfare Education, leisure and culture Special protection measures General measures of implementation Reservations and treaty ratifications 11. The New Zealand government’s reservations under the Convention remain in place and, to the Commission’s knowledge, there been no substantive move towards removing them since the Committee issued its 2016 concluding observations.3 12. Similarly, the Commission is aware of no substantive progress towards ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on a Communications Procedure (OPCP). 13. During its July 2019 adoption of the recommendations arising from New Zealand’s latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the New Zealand government delegation informed the Human Rights Council that it agreed to consider acceding to additional international treaties, including the OPCP. The government delegation also stated it would consider removing existing reservations.4 14. However, the government delegation did not accept UPR recommendations regarding ratification of OPCP and removal of reservations, stating that it “cannot bypass [the] domestic process of considering the implications of international conventions. We are therefore unable to accept recommendations ‘to ratify/sign’ or to withdraw reservations.”5 3 CRC/C/NZL/CO/5, paragraph 5(a) A/HRC/41/4/Add.1, 17 June 2019, paragraph 5 5 A/HRC/41/4/Add.1, 17 June 2019, paragraph 6 4 4