Reducing poverty The Commission is intent on making a meaningful contribution towards the reduction and elimination of poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand. Rationale The experience of poverty creates real barriers to social inclusion and the enjoyment of human rights for individuals and communities. In our external stakeholder engagement, 50 percent of respondents listed the right to an adequate standard of living as one of their top three issues. Poverty is a human rights issue. It undermines the realisation of other rights, including the right to a decent home, access to healthcare and protection, participation in cultural life, equal access to justice, the right to education, the right to privacy and the right to rest and leisure. Disadvantaged communities tend to experience higher levels of crime and violence than more affluent communities. Interventions The Human Rights Commission will: » raise awareness that poverty is a human rights issue with a particular focus on the right to a decent home and employment » present evidence to government about the impact of poverty on human rights » raise public awareness of the impact of poverty on human rights and among the policy and business communities » contribute to policy making that reduces poverty and advances implementation of the right to a decent home » monitor and review government’s performance on reducing poverty and hold government to account for that performance. 16 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION