This section describes work that agencies are leading that makes a difference for disabled people. The work has been organised into 5 areas:

• Citizenship – every person has the right to carry out the normal activities of being a citizen in New Zealand, like voting or being part of groups that make decisions – this area looks at what agencies are doing to make sure disabled people can do these things.
• Government capacity – making sure government agencies have the right knowledge, skills and systems to do their work in a way that removes barriers to disabled people participating in society.
• Disability supports – what agencies are doing to make sure that people have the supports they need to live ordinary lives.
• Participation – for disabled people to participate in society, they need accessible health, education, transport, employment and income, sport, recreation, culture and broadcasting, and buildings. This section looks at what government agencies are doing to improve accessibility in these areas.
• Diversity of need – New Zealand has a mixture of people with different needs and this section looks at what is being done for specific population groups like Maori, Pacific people, women, children, and carers.
  These sections are all interdependent, so progress in implementing the New Zealand Disability Strategy in one area may contribute to implementation in other areas as well.

Achievement story

Signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 30 March 2007

The signing of the Convention was the result of hard work and partnership between government agencies and the disability sector. Representing government was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Office for Disability Issues, the Human Rights Commission, and the Mental Health Commission. They worked together, and consulted with the disability sector, including the Disabled Persons Assembly, Association of Blind Citizens, IHC Advocacy, New Zealand CCS (now CCS Disability Action), Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind, New Zealand representatives of Disabled Persons International and Inclusion International.

Disabled people were included in the official delegations that attended and carried out negotiations for the Convention at the United Nations in New York.

In recognition of the partnership approach, the New Zealand delegation to the Convention signing ceremony included a disability sector representative as well as a government official.

The Convention marks a shift in thinking about the place of disabled people in societies all over the world. Nations that sign up to the Convention are obliged to ensure disabled people experience human rights and opportunities on an equal basis with other people.