International Obligations

In addition to being a party to UNCROC, Aotearoa New Zealand is a party to many other international human rights treaties. When the New Zealand government signs and ratifies an international human rights treaty, it agrees to be bound under international law to implement its provisions. This requires the government to work towards ensuring that the standards and principles contained in these treaties are reflected in New Zealand’s domestic laws and policies.

One of the most important international instruments is the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - click the link to view the PDF document for more information on UNCROC and its significance.

Other key documents to which Aotearoa New Zealand is a signatory include:

• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  
• Convention relating to the Status of Refugees
• Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
• International Covenant on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

Follow the links to download the PDF files.

To view comprehensive information on the content of these documents and the extent to which Aotearoa New Zealand is meeting its international obligations, go to Human Rights Commission (HRC) website http://www.hrc.co.nz

The HRC advocates and promotes respect for all human rights in Aotearoa New Zealand.