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New Zealand’s guiding position is that all core human rights are indivisible, with universal and non-discretionary application to all individuals. This position reflects key international norms and rules and forms the basis for New Zealand’s international engagement on human rights.
International treaties
Atrocities committed during World War II drew the world's attention to the need for collective action on human rights. When the UN Charter was drafted in 1945, New Zealand was one of a small number of countries that successfully lobbied for human rights to be included. This led to the first comprehensive international declaration on human rights – the Universal Declaration on Human Rights – adopted in 1948. The Declaration stated:
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
From Article 1 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, 1948.
The Universal Declaration has formed the basis for nine core human rights treaties. New Zealand played an important role in the creation of many of these treaties including chairing negotiations for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006).
New Zealand is a party to seven of the nine treaties:
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966
- International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1965
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, 1979
- Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 1984
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989
- International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers, 1990 (NZ is not yet party to this convention)
- UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006
- International Convention for the Protection of Persons from Enforced Disappearance, 2010 (NZ is not yet party to this convention)
United Nations Treaty Bodies
For each human rights treaty, there is a ‘Treaty Body’ of independent experts that monitor the progress of countries in complying with the treaty. For example, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights has a Treaty Body called the Human Rights Committee(external link). New Zealand is regularly reviewed by these Treaty Bodies, usually every four to five years. Treaty bodies provide guidance on implementation and serve an important review function for States against their treaty obligations.
New Zealand has also accepted a number of procedures to allow individuals to make complaints to Treaty Bodies about New Zealand’s compliance with the relevant treaty. A recent example is the decision of the Committee Against Torture about treatment at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital(external link). You can review the UN database for other decisions and reports(external link) by Treaty Bodies about New Zealand.
MFAT’s role in human rights
We provide advice to the Government on international human rights issues from the basis that core human rights are indivisible, with universal and non-discretionary application to all individuals.
In a multilateral context, MFAT also has seven thematic focus areas:
- The rights of women and girls
- The rights of persons with disabilities
- Non-discrimination of LGBTIQ+ persons
- Abolition of the death penalty
- Freedom from torture and arbitrary detention
- Freedom of expression
- Freedom of religion and belief
These focus areas affirm a continued priority to promote and protect human rights. In particular, they reflect where MFAT will focus advocacy efforts in multilateral human rights forums, such as the Human Rights Council in Geneva and the General Assembly’s Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee in New York (known as the Third Committee).
We also provide funding for human rights related projects through our international development cooperation programme.
Human rights in development
Human rights are a priority area for New Zealand’s development agenda, and play an important role in New Zealand’s vision and commitment to partnering for a long-term resilient and prosperous Pacific, and to building a safer, more prosperous and more sustainable future for New Zealanders and the world. In its international development cooperation, New Zealand seeks to contribute to the realisation of human rights for all.
New Zealand’s Human Rights Strategic Action Plan for International Development Cooperation 2021 – 2025 sets out priorities for targeting and mainstreaming human rights within New Zealand’s international development cooperation programming, particularly focusing on people and groups most at risk of being left behind, and establishes the framework for New Zealand’s Human Rights Based Approach to development.
Human rights in our region
We support countries in the Indo-Pacific region as they build their capacity to uphold human rights. This is often done by contributing to the work of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) through the New Zealand International Development Cooperation Programme. The Office encourages and supports countries to develop human rights institutions, adopt national plans of action to advance human rights, and increase human rights education and awareness. MFAT monitors human rights developments in the region, advocates for the protection of human rights, and liaises with the OHCHR on progress.
Human rights issues within New Zealand are the responsibility of other government agencies. We work with these agencies to produce New Zealand's reports on progress against each treaty, including our Universal Periodic Review report into human rights.
Universal Periodic Review
Every five years UN member countries report to the UN Human Rights Council on their human rights situation, and progress since the previous review. This is known as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
Read more on the website of the UN Human Rights Council(external link) which includes New Zealand's national report.
New Zealand completed its fourth review in 2024. The government prepares a national report which is submitted to the UN ahead of the review, and uploaded to the UN’s website. When drafting the report, the government consults the public for its views on the human rights situation in New Zealand. Other members of the New Zealand public can also make their own submissions to the UN, which compiles them into a summary report.
The government sends a delegation to the Human Rights Council in Geneva for the review hearing. That delegation is usually led by the Minister of Justice, and comprises representatives from a number of government agencies.
Read more on our dedicated page about New Zealand's Universal Periodic Review.