Human Rights Commission

Most of the reports and publications produced by the Human Rights Commission are available online. To view or download the publication, simply click on the link provided.
Tip: Use the Control-F keys to enable you to initiate a specific search on this page.
To order printed copies of publications please contact:

Resources.
Human Rights Commission
PO Box 6751, Wellesley Street
Auckland 1141, New Zealand

Phone: 0800 496 877 (toll free)
Fax: 09 377 3593
Email: resources@hrc.co.nz

• Annual Report and Statement of Intent
• Case Studies
• Complaints Information
• Community Language Resources
• Disability Rights
• Education (Human Rights)
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Human Rights
• HRC Guidelines for Non-Discrimination
• HRC Submissions
• Library (Human Rights Commission Library)
• Mental Health
• Newsletters
• Pacific Issues
• Posters
• Race Relations
• Surveys
• Te Reo
• Transgender Inquiry (Action on the Transgender Inquiry)
• Treaty of Waitangi and Human Rights

Annual Report and Statement of Intent

• Annual Report 2011 (PDF 3Mb) Financial Disclosure (PDF 110Kb) [Word version will be uploaded shortly]
• Annual Report 2010 (2Mb PDF) Financial Disclosure (PDF 105Kb)
• Annual Report 2009 (1.7MB PDF) Financial Disclosure (PDF)
• Annual Report 2008 (PDF 1MB) Financial Disclosure (PDF 50Kb)
  Whakataki/Introduction (Te Reo translation)
• Annual Report 2007 (PDF1MB)
• Annual Report 2006 (PDF 1.6MB)
• Annual Report 2005 (PDF 1MB)
• Annual Report 2004
• Annual Report 2003 (PDF 1.47MB)
• Annual Report 2002 (PDF 1.35MB)
• Annual Report 2001 (PDF 520.4kb)
• Annual Report 2000
• Annual Report 1999
• Annual Report 1998 – 20th Anniversary Report

• Statement of Intent 2011-2014 (Word) (PDF 900Kb)
• Statement of Intent 2010-2013 (PDF 600Kb)
• Statement of Intent 2009-2012 (PDF 1.2MB)
• Statement of Intent 2008-2011 (PDF 700kb)
• Statement of Intent 2007-2008 (PDF 1MB or Word 577kb)
• Statement of Intent 2006-2007 (Word 411kb)
• Statement of Intent 2005-2006 (PDF 1.6MB)
• Statement of Intent 2004-2005 (PDF doc 1.21MB)

Case Studies

Since early 2002, the Commission’s disputes resolution service has revolved around mediation. The following are case notes of disputes which include pre-2002 Human Rights Commission opinions and Human Rights Review Tribunal decisions.

• Te Rito March 2011 (PDF)
• Te Rito December 2009 (PDF 550kb)
• Te Rito December 2008 – 10 human rights cases (PDF)
• Te Rito November 2008 – Human rights complaints (PDF 750kb)
• Te Rito August 2007 – Human rights complaints (Word 165kb or PDF 470kb)
• 10 Human Rights Cases – 2007 (PDF 400kb)
• 10 Human Rights Cases that Made a Difference (2006) (PDF 271kb) (Word 196kb)
• Case notes: May 2002 (PDF 271kb)
• Case notes: October 2001 (PDF 267kb)
• Case notes: July 2001 (PDF 243kb)
• Case notes: April 2001 (PDF 148kb)
• Case notes: December 2000 (PDF 240kb)
• Case notes: October 2000
• Case notes: July 2000 (PDF 233kb)
• Case notes: April 2000 (PDF 243kb)
• Case notes: December 1999 (PDF 86kb)
• Case notes: July 1999 (PDF 147kb)
• Case notes: April 1999 (PDF 2182kb)

Complaints Information

• Resolving discrimination and harassment – a guide to making and responding to a complaint
• What-is-the-Human-Rights-Commission?  (PDF)
  (Te Reo PDF 175Kb or HTML)
  Also available in
  Samoan
  Tongan
  Hindi
  Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese
• Human rights enquiries & complaints (PDF 670kb).
  Available in Maori, Samoan, Tongan, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional) and Hindi.
• Office of Human Rights Proceedings leaflet (Office of Human Rights Proceedings PDF500Kb)
• Racial harassment (PDF 800kb).
  Available in
  Maori
  Samoan
  Tongan
  Chinese (Simplified)
  Chinese (Traditional)
  Hindi.
• Sexual harassment (PDF 600kb).
  Available in
  Maori
  Samoan
  Tongan
  Chinese (Simplified)
  Chinese (Traditional)
  Hindi
• Your rights as a pregnant worker (PDF 135Kb, Word 33Kb).
  Also available in:
  Ō tika mō te kaimahi kei te hapū – Māori
  गर्भवती कर्मचारी के रूप में आपके अधिकार – Hindi
  ‘O ou āiā tatau fa’aletagata faigaluega a’o e ma’itaga – Samoan
  Ko ho’o ngaahi totonu koe‘uhi koe tokotaha ngāue koe ‘oku lolotonga feitama – Tongan
  您作为怀孕员工应该享有的权利 – Simplified Chinese
  您身為懷孕的雇員所有的權利 – Traditional Chinese

• Complaints form (PDF) (On-line Complaints form)
  Also available in:
  Maori
  Samoan
  Tongan
  Hindi
  Chinese – Simplified
  Traditional Chinese
• Do you have a human rights complaint? (Colour PDF [240kb] or B/W PDF [240kb])
  Also available in:
  Maori (PDF 360kb)
  Hindi (PDF 380kb)
  Chinese Simplified (PDF 480kb)
  Traditional Chinese (550kb)
  Samoan (PDF 430kb)
  Tongan (385kb)
• ‘English language only’ – policies in the workplace (PDF)
  Also available in Maori, Samoan, Tongan, Hindi, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese.

  Community Language Resources

  Arabic

  • About the Human Rights Commission
  • Statement on Religious Diversity (PDF 116kb)

  Chinese

  • About the Human Rights Commission (Simplified)
  • About the Human Rights Commission (Traditional)
  • Complaints Form (Simplified PDF or Traditional PDF)
  • Do you have a human rights complaint? (Modern – PDF 480kb)
  • Do you have a human rights complaint? (Traditional – PDF 550kb)
  • ‘English Language Only’ policies in the Workplace / 作场所的“只能使用英语”政策
  • ‘English Language Only’ policies in the Workplace / 工作場所裡「限用英語」的政策
  • Human rights enquiries and complaints / 关于人权问题的查询和投诉 (Simplified)
  • Human right enquiries and complaints / 歧視與騷擾 (Traditional)
  • Your rights as a pregnant worker (您作为怀孕员工应该享有的权利 ( Simplified) or 您身為懷孕的雇員所有的權利 (Traditional)
  • Race Relations in 2008 – Annual Review of Race Relations Overview / 2008 年 种族关系 前 言
  • Race Relations in 2008 – Annual Review of Race Relations Overview / 2008 年 的種族關係 總論
  • Racial harassment / 种族骚扰 (Simplified)
  • Racial harassment / 種 族騷擾 (Traditional)
  • Sexual harassment / 性骚扰 (Simplified)
  • Sexual harassment / 性騷擾 (Traditional)
  • Statement on Religious Diversity (Simplified PDF 103kb)
  • Statement on Religious Diversity (Traditional PDF135kb)
  • What is the Human Rights Commission?/ 什么是人权委员会? (Simplified)
  • What is the Human Rights Commission?/甚 麼是人權委員會 (Traditional)

  Gagana Tokelau

  • About the Human Rights Commission

  Gujarathi

  • Statement on Religious Diversity (40kb)

  Hindi

  • About the Human Rights Commission
  • Do you have a human rights complaint? (PDF 380kb)
  • ‘English Language Only’ policies in the Workplace / कायर्क्षेतर् म ‘केवल अँगर्ेज़ी भाषा’ नीितयाँ
  • Human rights enquiries and complaints / मानवाधिकार संबंधी पूछताछ और शिकायत
  • Race Relations in 2008 – Annual Review of Race Relations Overview / 2008 में नस्ल-संबंध सार-सँक्षेप
  • Racial harassment / जातीय उत्पीड़न
  • Sexual harassment / यौन उत्पीड़न
  • Statement on Religious Diversity (PDF 39kb)
  • What is the Human Rights Commission? / मानवाधिकार आयोग क्या ह
  • Your rights as a pregnant worker /गर्भवती कर्मचारी के रूप में आपके अधिकार

  Korean

  • About the Human Rights Commission
  • Statement on Religious Diversity (PDF 220)

  Lea Faka Tonga

  • About the Human Rights Commission
  • Do you have a human rights complaint? (PDF 385kb)
  • ‘English Language Only’ policies in the Workplace / Lea Fakapalangi pe ‘a e polisī ‘i he ngāue’anga
  • Human rights enquiries and complaints / Ngaahi faka’eke’eke moe ngaahi lāunga ki he totonu ‘ae Tangata
  • Race Relations in 2008 – Annual Review of Race Relations Overview / Va ‘o e ngaahi Matakali ‘i he 2008: Talateu
  • Racial harassment / Fakahoha’asi pe ngaahi kovi’i makatu’unga ‘i he matakali pe lanu
  • Sexual harassment / Fakahoha’asi ‘o fakataumu’a kihe vā ‘o e nonofo ‘a Fefine mo Tāngata
  • Statement on Religious Diversity (PDF 140kb)
  • What is the Human Rights Commission? / Ko e hā ‘a e Komisoni ki he ngaahi Totonu ‘a e Tangata?
  • Your rights as a breastfeeding mother / Ko ho’o totonu ke fakahuhu hoo pepe
  • Your rights as a pregnant worker / Ko ho’o ngaahi totonu koe‘uhi koe tokotaha ngāue koe ‘oku lolotonga feitama

  Le Gagana Samoa

  • About the Human Rights Commission
  • Do you have a human rights complaint? (PDF 430kb)
  • ‘English Language Only’ policies in the Workplace / O Tulafono i le ‘Gagana Peretania’ i totonu o fale faigaluega
  • Human rights enquiries and complaints / Āiā tatau fa’aletagata mo su’esu’ega ma fa’aseā
  • Race Relations in 2008 – Annual Review of Race Relations Introduction / Va Fealoaloa’i o atunu’u i le 2008
  • Racial harassment / Fa’amatalaga i Fa’atuatuaga ‘Ese’ese
  • Sexual harassment / Āmioga fiafai`āiga fa’asoesā
  • Statement on Religious Diversity (PDF 110kb)
  • What is the Human Rights Commission?/O le ā le Komisi o Āiā-tatau [a tagata]?
  • Your rights as a breastfeeding mother / O au aia tatau pe a fa’apea o oe o se tina o lo’o fa’asusuina lau tama
  • Your rights as a pregnant worker / ‘O ou āiā tatau fa’aletagata faigaluega a’o e ma’itaga

  Maori Kuki Airani (Cook Islands)

  • About the Human Rights Commission

  Punjabi

  • Statement on Religious Diversity (40kb)

  Somali

  • About the Human Rights Commission

  Tieng Viet (Vietnamese)

  • About the Human Rights Commission

  Vagahau Niue

  • About the Human Rights Commission

  Vosa Vakaviti (Fijian)

  • About the Human Rights Commission

Disability Rights

• The Accessible Journey: Report of the Inquiry into Accessible Public Land Transport.
  Other formats include:
  Word (989kb)
  HTML
  Plain Language (Word 1.4MB) and
  Maori (Word 244kb)
  Screen Readers Marked Up Version (Word 1MB)
  Marked Up Word Version (910kb) and HTML Plain Text (516kb)
  Definition of Disability in the Human Rights Act 1993 (Word)
• Disabled Children’s Right to Education
• Making disability rights real (information leaflet explaining the organisations overseeing the implementation of the UNCRPD)
• What is the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?
• The Wider Journey report

Education

• Building Human Rights Communities in Education
• Disabled Children’s Right to Education
• School violence, bullying and abuse – a human rights analysis (850 Kb PDF)
• Taku Manawa: Human Rights in the Regions Pilot Project – 2008 (PDF 1.4MB)
• Taku Manawa – Building Human Rights Communities - 2011 (PDF)

Equal Employment Opportunities

• Brain Gain – Migrant Workers in New Zealand (PDF 1.8MB)
• Framework for the Future
  - Full report (PDF 900kb)
  - Summary Report (PDF 777kb)
  - Word version (254kb)

• Getting a job: An A to Z for employers and employees Pre-employment Guidelines (PDF)
• NEON (Network Equal Opportunities Network) website (www.neon.org.nz)
  • NEON Updates:
  • September 2009 (Word 80Kb)
  • July 2009 (Word 120Kb)
  • May 2009 (Word 85Kb)
  • April 2009 (Word 55Kb)
  • March 2009 (Word 80Kb)
  • February 2009 (Word 75Kb)
  • December 2008 (Word 115Kb)
  • September 2008 (Special Older Workers Update) (Word)
  • July 2008 (Word)
  • May 2008 (Word)
  • March 2008 (Word)
  • November 2007 (Word)
  • October 2007 (Word)
  • New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation 2010 (PDF 1.5MB)
  • New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation 2008 (PDF 1 MB)
  • New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation 2006 (PDF 1.4MB)
  • New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation in Governance and Professional Life 2004
  • Older Worker Employment Transition (Word 253kb)
  • Modern Apprenticeship Scheme: Training for the boys? – Discussion Paper (Word 465kb)
  • The Right to Breastfeed – Background Paper (PDF 355kb)
  • Valuing Older Workers – September 2008 (Word or HTML)
  • Your Rights as a Breastfeeding Mother (PDF 70kb) – also available in Maori, Samoan and Tongan languages (449kb PDF)

  Guidelines for Non-Discrimination

  • Voluntary guidelines to assist banks to meet the needs of older and disabled customers (Word)
  • Insurance Guidelines (Website Page)Insurance and the Human Rights Act 1993 (PDF or Word)
  • Pre-employment Guidelines – Getting a job: An A to Z for employers and employees Pre-employment Guidelines (PDF)

Human Rights in New Zealand

• Human Rights in New Zealand 2010
• Human Rights in New Zealand Today: Ngā tika tangata o te motu (HTML) – Full Report (2004)
  - Human rights in New Zealand Today – Summary Report: Ngā Tika Tangata o te Motu Whakarāpopototanga (HTML) (2004)
  - The New Zealand Action Plan for Human Rights: Mana ki te Tangata – Priorities for Action 2005-2010 (HTML)
• Human rights milestones: New Zealand (PDF)
• Human rights milestones: International (PDF)
• Transgender Inquiry
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights – Celebrating 60 years
  - Everyone is born free and equal in dignity and rights – An A6 sized 20 page booklet of the UDHR text. (1.1MB PDF)
  - English – Plain Language (Word)
  - English – Full text (Word or HTML)
  - Te Reo Plain Text (Word)
  - Te Reo Full Text (Word or HTML)

  Human Rights Submissions

  (This section is currently being updated.)

• Submission on Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill – April 2012
• Submission: EMRIP Study on the role of languages and culture in the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples to the UNHCHR  – February 2012 (Word 80Kb)
• Human Rights Issues in the Welfare Working Group Recommendations August 2011 (Word 150Kb)
• Inquiry into Boarding Houses in New Zealand to the Social Services Committee (Word 80Kb) – 24 June 2011
• Long Term Benefit Dependency: the Options to the Welfare Working Group (Word 75kb) – December 2010
• Long Term Benefit Dependency: the Issues to the Welfare Working Group (Word 90kb) – September 2010
• Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Bill to the Justice and Electoral Select Committee – 1 March 2006 (Word 100 Kb)
• Culture and Identity Statistics Domain Plan Draft for Consultation – August 2009 (Word 340KB)
• Deaf Education Discussion Paper 2010 to the Ministry of Education (Word) – June 2010
• Disability (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) Bill – 21 July 2008. (Letter to the Select Committee – Word or HTML)
• Draft Statstical Standard for Sex to Statistics New Zealand (Word 80Kb) – May 2010
• Education Amendment Bill (No 2) 2010 (PDF or Word) – Letter to the Education and Science Select Committee August 2010
• Education (Polytechnics) Amendment Bill to the Education and Science Committee – September 2009 (Word 95Kb)
• Foreshore and Seabed Act Review – May 2009 (Word 300Kb)
• Infrastructure Bill to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee – September 2009 (Word 50Kb)
• Immigration Bill to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee – December 2007
• Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill (Word 137Kb) – June 2009
• Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill (Word 240Kb) – February 2010
• Local Goverment Act 2002 Amendment Bill to the Local Government and Enviromental Committee (PDF) – August 2010
• Proposal to Change Wanganui to Whanganui to the NZ Geographic Board (Word 266Kb) – August 2009
• Review of Special Education to the Minister of Education (Word) – 19 March 2010
• Search and Surveillance Bill to the Justice and Electoral Committee (Word 120kb) – September 2009
• Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill (PDF 680Kb)
• Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill (Word 100kb) – November 2009
• Future Focus Bill HTML (121kb) PDF (226kb) Word (104kb)

Mental Health Issues

• Korowai Whaimana (Like Minds, Like Mine programme)
  Evaluation of Korowai Whaimana – Summary Report (Word 88kb or PDF 240kb).
  Read the full report, Evaluation of Korowai Whaimana. (Word 588kb).
  Korowai Whaimana:
  A free Human RightsWorkshop for people with experience of mental illness (leaflet Word 175kb):
  - Taking Human Rights Action – People with mental illness tell their stories (PDF 220kb)
• Making Complaints – a guide for mental health service users

Newsletters

Click here for further information and subscription details on the Commission’s electronic newsletters.

Pacific Issues

• Pacific Human Rights Issues Series: 1 (National Human Rights Institutions Pathways for Pacific States) Versions:
  PDF(1.5MB)
  Word
  HTML

Posters

Race Relations

• ‘English language only’ – policies in the workplace (PDF)
  Also available in Maori, Samoan, Tongan, Hindi, Traditional Chinese and Modern Chinese
• Guidelines on Measures to Ensure Equality
• International Student Safety (Speech delivered by Joris de Bres December 2008)
• Muslim Women, Dress Codes and Human Rights (Word 134kb)
• Race relations reports (Annual review of race relations)
• Racial harassment – what is racial harassment? Information leaflet (800Kb PDF).
  Available in Maori, Samoan, Tongan, Chinese (Simple/Modern), Chinese (Trad) and Hindi.
• Religious Diversity in New Zealand – Statement on Religious Diversity booklet (640Kb PDF)
• Religious Diversity in the Workplace
• Statement on Language Policy – Languages in Aotearoa New Zealand (August 2008) (PDF)
• Statement on Race Relations – Race Relations in Aotearoa New Zealand (August 2008) (PDF and Te Reo version [PDF])
• Strengthening Cultural Diversity – Reporting back from the UNESCO – Human Rights Commission Youth Forums (2005) (PDF 1Mb)
• Snapshot of Diversity in New Zealand (2005) (PDF 118kb)
• Racial Equality in New Zealand (2005) (PDF 75kb)
• Perceptions of Discrimination: UMR Research Report (2006) (Word)
• Perceived Discrimination in NZ (Omnibus Research – Nov-Dec 2007) (Word)
• Religion in New Zealand Schools
• Maori Representation in Local Government: the continuing challenge (PDF 230Kb)

Surveys / Research

• Community Understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi and Related Issues: UMR research Report (2006) (PDF)
• Treaty of Waitangi, Person/Group Discrimination and Disability: UMR research report Nov/Dec 2008 (Word 986Kb)

Te Reo

• He aha Te Kahui Tika Tangata? (PDF What is the Human Rights Commission?)
• He amuamu tika tangata tau? (Do you have a human rights complaint? PDF 360 Kb)
• He Kōrero mō ngā Whakapono Rerekē (Statement on Religious Diversity PDF 130kb)
• Ko ngā tika ō te wahine, e whāngai ū ana (Your rights as a breastfeeding mother)
• Mahi whakaito / sexual harassment
• Nau mai, piki mai mai, ki te pae tukutuku ō te kā hui tika tangata / About the Human Rights Commission
• Ngā kaupapa here ‘Reo Ingarihi Anake’ i roto i te wāhi mahi / ‘English Language Only’ policies in the workplace
• Ngā pātai me ngā amuamu tika tangata / Human rights enquiries and complaints
• Nonotitanga ā-Iwi / Racial harassment leaflet
• Ō tika mō te kaimahi kei te hapū / Your rights as a pregnant worker
• Puka amuamu (PDF 1.1Mb) (Complaints Form)
• Ripoata o te tau rua mano ma waru – He Whakataki (HTML) (HRC Annual Report 2008 – Introduction)
• Te Mana I Waitangi: Community Discussion Paper (PDF) (2003)
• Te Ara Taurima: He Ripoata Tirohanga Whānui ki nga Waka Whenua Kawenga Tangata (Word 244Kb) (The Accessible Journey: Report of the Inquiry into Accessible Public Land Transport including the Foreword, Executive Summary and Recommendations)
• Te Whakapuakanga a te Kotahitanga ō ngā Whenua o te Ao Mo Ngā iwi taketake (Declarations of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples)
• Tūi tūi tuituiā: Kōrero Whakataki / Race Relations in 2008 – Annual Review of Race Relations Overview
• Whakapuakitanga Whanui o nga Mana o te Tangata 1948 (Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
  - Plain Language (Word)
  - Full Text (Word or HTML)
• Whanaungatanga a Iwi (Statement on Race Relations Te Reo version – PDF)

Treaty of Waitangi and Human Rights

• Community Understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi and Related Issues: UMR research Report (2006) (PDF)
• Response to Expert Mechanism on Indigenous Rights (Word 140Kb)
• Te Mana i Waitangi – Human rights and the Treaty of Waitangi – draft for discussion document 2010 (PDF 850Kb)
• Te Mana I Waitangi: Community Discussion Paper (2003) (PDF)
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi Treaty of Waitangi – 2009 in review (PDF) (chapter from Race Relations in 2009)
• Treaty of Waitangi, Person/Group Discrimination and Disability: UMR research report Nov/Dec 2008 (Word 986Kb)
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PDF 210Kb)
• Summary of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (English) (English PDF 275Kb)or read the summary in Māori (PDF).
• Whitiwhiti Korero Newsletter