New Zealand is proud to be applying for the 2007 Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award. The steady momentum towards enabling New Zealanders with disabilities to live lives that are the same as other New Zealanders is evident in a transformation of attitudes and systems within New Zealand. It has also informed our contribution, over the past three years, to the new United Nations Draft Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Just 30 years ago, New Zealanders with disabilities lived their lives largely separate from other New Zealanders. They had no clear means of voicing their desires and aspirations. And while the strong tradition of providing support to people with disabilities continued, that support had the effect of emphasising and maintaining their ‘otherness’. Today, New Zealanders with disabilities live - and, increasingly, work - within their communities. They have an advocate at the highest level of government, and support is directed at capitalising on their abilities to be productive contributors, on their capacity to live ‘ordinary lives’.

Leading our progress towards a vision of full participation and improved wellbeing for people with disabilities is The New Zealand Disability Strategy. The Strategy has both emerged from, and, is today driving, a systemic response comprising policies, legislation, infrastructure, sub-sector strategies and service delivery provision. It is both the product and now also the promoter of the close engagement developed between people with disabilities and their caregivers, disability organisations and government. Part of the Strategy’s strength is that New Zealanders with disabilities have firmly claimed ownership of it. They are actively using it to push for change in all areas of society.

The Strategy provides third millennium New Zealand with a powerful tool for encouraging behaviour change, because it sits within and is supported by an integrated and reinforcing system. Through this system and through the forging of partnerships between government and the sector, we have made and are continuing to make significant progress towards our vision.

The experience we have gained has provided a useful platform for assisting the international community in the development of the new United Nations Draft Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A key strength we have brought to our contribution to this international benchmark is our partnership approach in working with the disability community.

Our submission for the 2007 Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award first recounts our progress and how we have endeavoured to improve the participation of New Zealanders with disabilities across all aspects and stages of their lives. Secondly, we show how this has translated into action and outcomes against the framework of the Standard Rules for the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.