Cabinet has agreed to consider all of the recommendations made during New Zealand's second UPR before deciding whether to accept or reject each. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has provided information about the recommendations to relevant government agencies and is currently consulting with them as to whether each will accept the recommendations in their respective work area/s. While the MoJ is coordinating this process, government agencies will be responsible for implementing each of the recommendations they accept.
Although there is not a consultation process as such for NGOs to have input into those decisions, the MoJ is nevertheless encouraging submissions from NGOs with our views on the recommendations, and the reasons why the recommendations we support should be accepted by Cabinet.
Some of the recommendations, such as those around ratification of international instruments (for example, the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families) are being considered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
The Cabinet briefing paper will be considered during May, as the government is required to send its list of accepted and rejected UPR recommendations to the UN Human Rights Council by June. The final deadline for NGO submissions to this process is Wednesday, 9 April, but it would be appreciated if you would send your submission earlier if possible as the briefing paper is going to the Minister of Justice in mid-April, then to Cabinet in the first week of May.
If you would like to make a submission on the UPR recommendations relevant to your area/s of work and why they should be accepted (along with suggestions for ways in which the recommendation/s can be implemented if you wish), please send it to Adam Dubas, MoJ by Wednesday, 9 April.
If your submission covers recommendations relating to one or more international human rights instruments, please send a copy to Alexandra Pierard, MFAT.
The Human Rights Commission (NZHRC) is currently starting the process of putting together the second National Action Plan on Human Rights, and while the consultation process for NGO input for that is not yet clear, the NZHRC has said that NGO submissions on the UPR recommendations may be taken into account - you can therefore also send a copy of your submission to Michael White, NZHRC, if you wish.
If you would like your submission on the recommendations added to the NZ UPR NGO information page, please either send a copy to Peace Movement Aotearoa or send us the link to where it is available on your web site, thank you.