Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
New Zealand Disability Strategy Implementation Work Plan. 1 July 2005 – 30 June 2006
1. Background
The Ministry’s most important resource is its people. We have approximately 600 New Zealanders and more than 300 overseas employees who work in New Zealand and abroad.
Their policy, administrative, and specialist skills spread from Head Office across a global network of 49 posts, with formal accreditation to 83 countries and many international organisations.
The Ministry’s Statement of Intent, identifies diversity is an area of focus for the next four years. This is incorporated into the Ministry’s Human Resources Strategy by recognising that, in managing and fostering a diverse workforce, staff at any time can have different needs.
The focus of the Ministry’s 2005/2006 Implementation Work Plan is:
- Business as usual activities
- International Conventions
- Disabled Person Staff Network
- New Zealand Sign Language Bill
- Boards, committees, Crown Entities
The Ministry looks forward to implementing this plan for 2005/2006.
2. Business as usual activities
A number of on going activities, which can now be seen as “business as usual activities” for the Ministry, are still considered to contribute and support the implementation of the public sector wide Disability Strategy. These activities are briefly outlined and reported below.
Human Resources:
- The Ministry will continue to mainstream all disability awareness training and EEO principles
- The Ministry will update and maintain a voluntary database of disabled staff.
- The Ministry will continue to ensure that all human resources and recruitment and selection processes are responsive to the needs of disabled people.
Facilities Management:
- The Ministry will continue to provide new employees with work station assessments by a qualified health professional, and individual assessments for any staff member as required.
- The Ministry will continue to consult other special agencies as required for particular needs e.g Hearing Association and Foundation for the Blind.
Website:
- The Ministry will continue to ensure that the information on the Ministry’s website is accessible to disabled people.
Building access at Head Office and Posts:
- The Ministry will continue to place a strong focus on ensuring that its New Zealand offices are accessible for disabled people.
- The Ministry will endeavour to meet New Zealand building standards (such as NZS 4121) or the host governments (whichever is high) in the office accommodation fit outs at post.
- It should be noted that in some overseas posts it is not possible to have lift access in multi level buildings because there are no maintenance or repairers to manage the lift facilities.
3. International Conventions
Desired Outcome:
The conclusion of a robust UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. For the year 2005-2006, substantial progress made in the negotiations towards a Convention text which gives a greater level of protection to persons with disabilities and which is consistent with New Zealand domestic legislation and policy settings as well as existing international human rights law.
Description:
The United Nations, Human Rights and Commonwealth Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade coordinates the New Zealand position on international human rights debates relating to disabilities, especially at the annual sessions of the United Nations General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights. The Ministry is currently working closely with the Office for Disability Issues on the development of the proposed new UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities: the draft Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities (draft Convention).
New Zealand has in recent years been a co-sponsor of several resolutions relating to the human rights of disabled people. The Division also coordinates, or jointly coordinates with domestic agencies, New Zealand reports on the implementation of the six core human rights treaties, which refer, where appropriate, to measures that promote and protect the rights of disabled people. The Division also maintains active links with disability non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the context of co-operation on the draft Convention.
Support for negotiating a new international human rights convention for disabled people has gathered momentum over the past three years. Negotiations began in May 2004 and are expected to continue into 2006. New Zealand’s Ambassador to the UN, Don MacKay, was recently elected Chair of the negotiations.
Measures and Timeframes:
A whole of government approach, in partnership with interested NGOs, determines New Zealand’s policy on the scope of the draft Convention. Close cooperation between the Ministry’s United Nations, Human Rights and Commonwealth Division and the Office for Disability Issues (including joint participation in the New Zealand delegation to the negotiations) will be required to secure a robust Convention. Negotiations are likely to take a minimum of a further two years, the timeframe being determined by the need to secure consensus in the United Nations.
Links to Disabilities Strategy Objective and Action:
Objective One: Encourage and educate for a non-disabling society - Actions 1.1; 1.2; 1.4; 1.5.
Objective Two: Ensure rights for disabled people - Action 2.2
Objective Five: Foster leadership for disabled people - Action 5.1
This objective can also assist with implementing recommendations in the Human Rights Action Plan. The Human Rights Action Plan identified specific recommendations for action, which included the following two areas that relate to this objective of the Ministry’s implementation plan:
Protection and Fulfilment of Rights
Outcome: The rights of disabled people are respected, protected and fulfilled
Participation in Decision Making
Outcome: Every disabled person in New Zealand is able to express their views and have their views taken into account on matters that affect them.
4. Disabled Peoples Network
Desired Outcome:
The objective of establishing this network would be to increase the Ministry’s awareness of issues that are faced by our disabled staff and, where practical, provide further assistance to this staff group. The network members could also provide support to one another.
This staff group would also be consulted in the development of future disability strategies and progress reports.
Description:
The Ministry currently has staff networks for EEO groups, such as Māori, Pacific Island Peoples, and Women, however, there is no active network for disabled people. The Ministry will investigate, with staff, the feasibility of establishing a disabled people network.
Measures and Timeframes:
The Human Resources Adviser (EEO) will contact all Ministry employees for their registrations of interest in establishing and belonging to this network by 30 June 2006.
Links to Disability Strategy Objective and Action:
Objective One: Encourage and educate for a non-disabling society - Actions 1.2; 1.5.
Objective Six: Foster an aware and responsive public service – Action 6.3.
5. New Zealand Sign Language Bill
Desired Outcome:
The Ministry will be contributing to implementing the New Zealand Sign Language Bill by making sure that the Ministry’s public information and services are accessible to Deaf people.
Description:
The Ministry will undertake a scoping project to identify steps and costs to make the Ministry’s key information accessible to Deaf people, where it is not all ready accessible.
The HR Adviser EEO and HR Adviser Health and Safety will coordinate the project, in consultation with a number of divisions within the Ministry and the Deaf community.
Measures and Timeframes:
The scoping project will be completed by 30 June 2006.
Links to Disability Strategy Objective and Action:
Objective One: Encourage and educate for a non-disabling society - Actions 1.2; 1.5.
Objective Two: Ensure rights for disabled people - Action 2.2
Objective Six: Foster an aware and responsive public service – Action 6.3.
6. Boards, committees, Crown Entities
Desired Outcome:
The Ministry will be contributing towards promoting the participation of disabled people within boards, communities, and Crown Entities that the Ministry is responsible for.
Description:
The Ministry will undertake to scope a programme of work to implement the public sector wide Disability Strategy within the boards, committees and Crown Entities that the Ministry administers, where these do not currently exist.
The HR Adviser EEO and HR Adviser Health and Safety will coordinate the project, in consultation with a number of divisions within the Ministry and the disabled and Deaf communities.
Measures and Timeframes:
The scoping project will be completed by 30 June 2006.
Links to Disability Strategy and Objectives:
Objective One: Encourage and educate for a non-disabling society - Actions 1.1; 1.2; 1.4; 1.5.
Objective Two: Ensure rights for disabled people - Action 2.2
Objective Six: Foster an aware and responsive public service – Action 6.3.