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Home > Foreign Relations > Global Issues > Human Rights

Human Rights

New Zealand is strongly committed to the protection and promotion of international human rights, as embodied in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and in the six core human rights treaties.

New Zealand seeks to defend and advance international human rights in multilateral human rights fora, focussing on the meetings of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva and in the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York and negotiations of new international human rights instruments.

New Zealand also focuses on the promotion of human rights in our region and in countries with which we have bilateral relationships, through exchanging views about human rights and providing practical assistance.

New - New Zealand Human Rights Council Campaign website

A new website launched recently aims to provide information about New Zealand's bid for election to the Council and our work to advance human rights standards.

Human Rights Council Campaign website

New Zealand and Human Rights
Latest Human Rights Statements by New Zealand Representatives
Human Rights areas

New Zealand and Human Rights

New Zealand is strongly committed to the protection and promotion of international human rights, as embodied in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and in the key human rights treaties. Our human rights activities operate at three levels: bilateral, regional and multilateral. Within the Ministry, the United Nations, Human Rights and Commonwealth Division provides policy advice on multilateral human rights issues. In an effort to "mainstream" human rights, responsibility for country specific human rights issues rest with the appropriate regional divisions. more

Latest Human Rights Statements by New Zealand Representatives and on behalf of New Zealand

UN Security Council: Children and Armed Conflict: Statement by HE Ms Rosemary Banks, NZ Permanent Representative, 17 July 2008
UN Security Council: Women and Peace and Security: Statement by Kirsty Graham, NZ Deputy Permanent Representative, 19 June 2008
System Wide Coherence Gender Consultations: Statement by NZ Permanent Representative, HE Rosemary Banks, on behalf of Australia, Canada and New Zealand: 16 May 2008
Human Rights Council: 7th session: New Zealand intervention in the interactive dialogue on the report of the independent expert appointed by the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in Somalia: 20 March 2008
Human Rights Council: 7th session: New Zealand statement on Sudan, 17 March 2008
Human Rights Council: 7th session: Item 3: General Debate: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development - 13 March 2008
Human Rights Council: 7th session: NZ/Canada statement: Item 3: Interactive dialogue: Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences - 13 March 2008
Human Rights Council: 7th session: Item 3: Interactive dialogue: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression - 12 March 2008

Human Rights areas

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Page last updated: Thursday, 31 July 2008 10:52 NZST

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