Inclusion of the Convention Coalition Monitoring Group as part of the IMM

In New Zealand, consistent with the requirements of Article 33, disabled people play an essential role in the monitoring the UNCRPD through the CCMG as part of the IMM.

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Factors promoting the success of the CCMG

In the view of the Country Rapporteur for the 2014 country review, New Zealand’s IMM is in a strong position compared to many other countries. The 2014 concluding observations of the UNCRPD Committee commended New Zealand for its implementation of an IMM.

Strengths of the New Zealand IMM related to the CCMG include:

  • Clear mandate and funding for the CCMG in the 2010 Cabinet Paper 
  • Support for disabled people led monitoring from the other IMM agencies (HRC and OTO), the wider disability sector and government
  • A process for monitoring the experiences of disabled people through primary data collection.

These factors create a setting for the CCMG to successfully participate in the IMM. 

Designation of the CCMG

In 2010, the CCMG was formed as a governance-level steering group made up of six DPOs, which were governed by disabled people in line with the expectations of Article 33 of the Convention.

The six DPOs represent New Zealand’s civil society:

  • Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand Incorporated
  • Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand Incorporated
  • Disabled Person’s Assembly New Zealand Incorporated
  • The committee representing mental health consumers known as Nga Hau E Wha
  • Ngāti Kāpo O Aotearoa Incorporated
  • People First New Zealand Incorporated – Ngā Tāngata Tuatahi.

There are now seven DPOs represented in the CCMG following the addition of Balance NZ (representing mental health consumers) and Deafblind NZ Incorporated in 2012 and the withdrawal of Nga Hau E Wha in 2015. The CCMG governs in the disabled people led component of the IMM and is the third IMM partner alongside the HRC and OTO (Figure 1).

 

Diagram description - Figure 1 below is a pie chart titled 'Figure 1. Structure of the IMM in New Zealand'. with three equal sized segments. The diagram is headed 'Independent Monitoring Mechanism' and the three segments are: Human Rights Commssion (coloured light blue), the Office of the Ombudsman (coloured light salmon pink) and Convention Coalition Monitoring Group (dark blue colour with white text).

 

Figure 1. Structure of the IMM in New Zealand

The objective of the CCMG is to coordinate an ethical mechanism for disabled people’s input to the monitoring of disability rights as spelled out in the Convention.

The Convention Coalition provides an ethical mechanism for disabled peoples’ input into the monitoring of disability rights as spelled out in the Convention and aims to ensure a sustainable process for this input in the future .

The CCMG conducts a qualitative research and monitoring programme including the collection of evidence directly from disabled people:

The Convention Coalition will lead disabled peoples’ work on monitoring the rights of disabled people. It is committed to ensuring that the Treaty of Waitangi is upheld and reflected in its activities. It also recognises the importance of its work in sharing its monitoring work with the regional and global disability communities.

The DPOs described the vision of the CCMG in a memorandum of understanding signed by all:

DPOs unite to act at a high level to ensure there is leadership by disabled people to oversee the implementation of the UNCRPD (and other disability rights treaties) within New Zealand.

The CCMG informs the IMM through formal monitoring reports and through participation in quarterly IMM meetings and more regular IMM working group meetings (Figure 2).

 

Diagram description - Figure 2 below is a linear style graphic titled ' Figure 2. Channels for CCMG input into the IMM.'  Figure 2 progresses on from Figure 1 (above) The CCMG wedge (dark-blue coloured) has been pulled back from the chart. Flowing on from the CCMG wedge are two mid-blue arrows titled ' Input through formal reports' and 'Input through participation'. The arrows point to the other two remaining pie chart wedges: 'Human Rights Commission' (pale blue coloured) and Office of the Ombudsman (pale pink coloured).

Figure 2. Channels for CCMG input into the IMM.

Formal reports on monitoring findings are reviewed and supported by the CCMG members. While the IMM has engaged with the reports, it has relied more on information provided by the CCMG through participation in working group meetings and full IMM meetings.

Informing the IMM through participation in meetings means the CCMG can be an active participant in the IMM, and be responsive and direct in addressing IMM questions. However, input through participation depends on either all members attending the group, or the subset of the members who attend representing the views of the CCMG and the monitoring as a whole.

 

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