Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
New Zealand Disability Strategy Implementation Work Plan. 1 July 2006 – 30 June 2007
Introduction
The Ministry exists to promote and protect New Zealand ’s interests in the world. That means:
- Representing New Zealand in its relationships with foreign governments and organisations, including international forums such as the United Nations and World Trade Organisation.
- Advising government on foreign, security and trade policy issues.
- Providing consular services to protect the rights of New Zealand citizens overseas.
- Working with other Government agencies.
- Providing development assistance (through the semi autonomous NZAID.)
The Ministry’s most important resource is its people. We have approximately 700 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 (SOI), identifies diversity as 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.
On the international front, the Ministry's Statement of Intent for 2006-2009 includes the following specific intervention for 2006/2007
- Continue to uphold and elaborate human rights norms and standards, with a focus on indigenous rights and the rights of disabled people, consistent with New Zealand values and interests.
On the domestic front, the Ministry's 2006-2009 Statement of Intent notes that Ministry’s internal culture strives to be one that respects and reflects the diversity of New Zealand and its society and is committed to adding value and maintaining and enhancing high public service ethics and standards. This includes recognising the rights of disabled employees and taking them into account. The organisational health and capability chapter of the SOI outlines key management priorities for 2006/2007. Although these do not specifically refer to the NZ Disability Strategy, the Ministry's Human Resources Strategy is an inclusive one.
2. Business as usual activities
| Disability responsiveness training and resources | Planned this year | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| Disability responsiveness training offered to all staff | No * | |
| Promotion of the Disability Perspective Tool Kit4 within your agency (eg this website resource distributed to policy and strategic personnel, receiving training or advice on the use of this resource, etc) | No ** |
* Done on as required basis.
** As yet the Ministry does not have desktop internet access or an Intranet, to aid the availability of this information.
| Disability perspective included in ordinary work | Planned this year | N/A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key documents to incorporate a disability perspective | |||
|
√ * | ||
|
√ | ||
|
Yes | ||
|
√ | ||
|
Yes ** | ||
|
|||
* The Ministry does not currently require a disability perspective to be included in Cabinet papers. During the 2006/07 year, the Ministry will look into the feasibility and practicability of Madding a requirement to the template for Cabinet papers or adding advice/guidance to the Ministry’s style guide for writing Cabinet papers.
** The Ministry will continue to consult other special agencies as required for particular needs eg. Hearing Association and Foundation for the blind.
| Implementing the NZ Disability Strategy beyond your agency | Planned this year | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| Agencies, Crown Entities, boards, reference groups, etc, that your agency is responsible for are encouraged to consider disabled people and disability issues (eg staff / membership supports the inclusion of disabled people, compliance with level 1 activities is encouraged, your agency’s purchase agreements require compliance with the Disability Strategy, and where appropriate requires the provision of any data/information on disability issues/disabled clients) | Yes * |
* Liaison with the other agencies, that the Minister is responsible for, has begun in the 2005/06 year. This is to continue into the 2006/07 year, to scope a programme of work to implement the Disability Strategy within the agencies, where practicable.
Level 2 Activities: Disability perspective included in ordinay work
| Disability responsiveness training and resources | Planned this year | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| Disability responsiveness training offered to all staff | No * | |
| Promotion of the Disability Perspective Tool Kit4 within your agency (eg this website resource distributed to policy and strategic personnel, receiving training or advice on the use of this resource, etc) | No ** |
* Done on as required basis.
** As yet the Ministry does not have desktop internet access or an Intranet, to aid the availability of this information.
| Disability perspective included in ordinary work | Planned this year | N/A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key documents to incorporate a disability perspective | |||
|
√ * | ||
|
√ | ||
|
Yes | ||
|
√ | ||
|
Yes ** | ||
|
|||
* The Ministry does not currently require a disability perspective to be included in Cabinet papers. During the 2006/07 year, the Ministry will look into the feasibility and practicability of Madding a requirement to the template for Cabinet papers or adding advice/guidance to the Ministry’s style guide for writing Cabinet papers.
** The Ministry will continue to consult other special agencies as required for particular needs eg. Hearing Association and Foundation for the blind.
| Implementing the NZ Disability Strategy beyond your agency | Planned this year | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| Agencies, Crown Entities, boards, reference groups, etc, that your agency is responsible for are encouraged to consider disabled people and disability issues (eg staff / membership supports the inclusion of disabled people, compliance with level 1 activities is encouraged, your agency’s purchase agreements require compliance with the Disability Strategy, and where appropriate requires the provision of any data/information on disability issues/disabled clients) | Yes * |
* Liaison with the other agencies, that the Minister is responsible for, has begun in the 2005/06 year. This is to continue into the 2006/07 year, to scope a programme of work to implement the Disability Strategy within the agencies, where practicable.
1. International Conventions
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.
Negotiations began in May 2004. The momentum in negotiating the new international human rights convention for disabled people has stepped up since New Zealand’s former Ambassador to the United Nations Don McKay was elected Chair to the negotiations in April 2005.
Desired Outcome
The desired outcome is the conclusion of a robust UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.
For the year 2006-07, continued substantial progress 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.
Outcome 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) continues and will help to secure greater protection for the rights of people with disabilities.
Negotiations are likely to conclude within the year, the timeframe being determined by the need to secure consensus in the United Nations on remaining issues.
Links to 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
1. For information on NZ Relay service
2. The Disability Perspective Tool Kit is available on the Office for Disability Issues’ website
3. Information on the State Service Commission’s Mainstream Programme
4. The Disability Perspective Tool Kit is available on the Office for Disability Issues’ website