To the special rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities united nations, geneva
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- Poverty
- Children and young people – poverty, abuse, family violence, violence at school
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Social and emergency housingNew Zealand has a small social housing stock and very little emergency housing; both of which are unable to meet demand. The eligibility for social housing is increasingly stringent and there is often no long-term security of tenure which leads to housing insecurity and transience. The government has sold a significant number of former state owned houses and the social housing stock has been depleted over recent years. PovertyStatistics New Zealand does not provide a definition or measure of poverty and does not release statistics on poverty per se. However there is widespread agreement that poverty is a critical social issue facing New Zealand. UNICEF has been outspoken on this issue. Extrapolated statistical data indicates that disabled adults are more likely than non-disabled adults to be unemployed, are more likely to live in rental accommodation, are more likely to be unable to afford the basics of living (e.g. food, groceries, utilities, going to the doctor, transport, participation in the community), and are more likely to live in households that earn under $30,000 a year.118 119 In addition, disabled people have multiple, additional costs associated with disability that are not provided for through government social protections schemes. The majority of people who experience learning/intellectual disability are on minimum wages, or are paid below the minimum wage, due to legislation that permits minimum wage exemptions.120 The government has no plans to implement a poverty reduction plan. By comparison, in the May 2015 budget the government announced expenditure of $264 million for the Defence Force; $20 million for government surveillance; $11 million conserving the kiwi bird; and $25 million for the purposes of choosing a new national flag. Children and young people – poverty, abuse, family violence, violence at schoolPoverty New Zealand has a high rate of child poverty.121 The New Zealand Disability Survey 2013 reported that disabled children are more likely than non-disabled children to live in poverty and to live in high deprivation areas.122 Thirty four percent of disabled children live in households with an income of under $50,000, 17 percent with an income under $30,000, and five percent with an income under $15,000 per year.123 A recent report published by the Child Poverty Action Group, ‘It shouldn’t be this hard: children, poverty and disability,’ highlights a range of issues relating to disabled children and poverty.124 However the New Zealand government has no plans to ameliorate child poverty. The recent May 2015 budget is evidence of a complete disregard for the rights of all children to an adequate standard of living. The parent/s or guardians of disabled children often are unable to work because of inadequate support, the additional costs of supporting disabled children, and the difficulties associated with accessing basic services such as education and health. This often means caregivers are reliant on income support payments through WINZ. 125 Child abuse, family violence, violence in schools and sexual violence New Zealand has a high rate of child abuse,126 127 family violence,128 129 130 131 sexual violence,132 and violence in schools (bullying).133 134 There are also significant issues relating to children and young people in state care135 and detained youth.136 There is no current provision for the protection of disabled women in community care settings under the Domestic Violence Act 1995. Most refuges are inaccessible or have policy that disallows women who experience psychosocial disability. Coupled with poverty,137 138all of these forms of abuse are heighted for disabled children, young people and women, whose lives, quality of life, and long term wellbeing are severely compromised by early life deprivation, adversity and trauma. Youth in New Zealand have a high rate of suicide and psychosocial disability, often resulting from negative early life experiences.139 The social protections system does not cater well to disabled youth who do not fit criteria for disability-specific supports. This is especially so for disabled youth reliant on income support through WINZ. EmploymentDisabled people have an unemployment rate that is twice that of non-disabled people.140 The government continues to view disabled people as a cost rather than an investment and legal provisions for Reasonable Accommodation do not function effectively. New Zealand has long standing Equal Employment Opportunities legislation (contained in several Acts) and employers are required to eliminate policies, procedures and institutional barriers to disabled people’s employment. However, research and statistics show that this has not resulted in significant improvements in disabled people’s overall employment status, income levels, or poverty status. The relationship between low income and deprivation has long been highlighted by New Zealand academics and non-government social justice agencies.141 142 The employment of disabled people is strongly reliant on employer attitudes and understanding of Reasonable Accommodation. As noted previously, Reasonable Accommodation is not defined in New Zealand legislation and is not well understood. Between 1996 and 2006 the employment rate of disabled barely improved, despite a raft of legislation, policies and programmes.143 Even in the public service, that promotes Better Public Services to disabled people, only approximately 3.7 percent of the workforce identify as experiencing disability.144 Example A current review of vocational services exemplifies the employment barriers disabled people face. While the intention is that there is alignment between the Enabling Good Lives principles,145employment participation, inclusive services, and policy and employment initiatives, this has not typically been the case. The current system proposes moving away from disability community-based agencies. Instead screening would be undertaken via the government’s WINZ service. While the ‘twin track’ approach has recently been implemented to support disabled people’s employment,146 WINZ is known as notoriously punitive and motivated by cost-cutting. A move to WINZ screening would be contradictory to the governments’ Disability Strategy 2001 and the Disability Action Plan 2014-2018. It would be antithetical to the Enabling Good Lives principles. This approach is likely to result in further poverty and human rights violations. Directory: Documents -> Issues -> Disability -> SocialProtection Issues -> Suhakam’s input for the office of the high commissioner for human rights (ohchr)’s study on children’s right to health – human rights council resolution 19/37 SocialProtection -> The right of persons with disabilities to social protection Issues -> Study related to discrimination against women in law and in practice in political and public life, including during times of political transitions Issues -> Women, the transatlantic trade in captured africans & enslavement: an overview Issues -> International labour organization Issues -> Advance unedited version Issues -> The right to artisitic freedom Issues -> Status Report on Anglophone Africa Issues -> Differences and similarities between Anglophone and Francophone African countries’ national legislation on pmscs Download 240.64 Kb. Share with your friends:
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