Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Madame President,
New Zealand warmly welcomes the delegation from Kiribati today.
We strongly support the Government of Kiribati’s ongoing commitment to progress the human rights of all I-Kiribati, as demonstrated by the wide range of recommendations accepted during the UPR process.
We commend Kiribati for its progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, noting the focus on sustainably harnessing Kiribati’s fisheries resource in a way that reduces poverty and fosters inclusive development. And we praise Kiribati for formally expressing in the Kiribati 20-Year Vision (KV20) a range of human rights issues that it is focusing on, including commitments to improve good governance, and taking a regional leadership role against corruption.
New Zealand welcomes that Kiribati has accepted a number of recommendations that relate to improving sexual and reproductive health and rights programmes. This is a core part of protection and empowering women and young people and we look forward to continuing our engagement with Kiribati, including through civil society organisations, on this important matter.
We are also encouraged to see Kiribati accept a number of recommendations which refer to reducing incidents of family and gender based violence. We encourage Kiribati to continue focusing on this important area as part of its national planning.
Finally, we recognise the serious challenge that climate change is having on protecting human rights in Kiribati, as land and property are increasingly at risk of inundation and water security becomes more difficult to manage. We commend Kiribati for its leadership on this important global issue and commit to continuing to provide support consistent with Kiribati’s goals and aspirations.
Thank you Madame President.