WILPF Aotearoa/New Zealand Section Report for WILPF and Human Rights
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

In Auckland Pacific Women’s Watch of which we are a member, held a Conference on November 25 on the topic of Taking Action to Overcome Violence with a number of speakers and workshops. The aim was to encourage all those present to take the information out to the community to find solutions on how to reduce violence specifically against women and girls, as well as all violence.

Some of the recommendations from this conference included :- Developing national guidelines for information sharing between agencies, NGO and community networks with agreed standards; support education programmes that promote non-violence and healthy relationships; provide information in their own languages, that is culturally appropriate, about the unacceptability of violence and the availability of services for abused women, to assist the safety and good settlement of refugee and migrant women; urge government to end poverty as a stressor leading to violence; support restorative justice, mediation and family group conferences.

Unfortunately, according to the latest UNICEF report, New Zealand has a very high rate of accident and injury to children, for a developed country.

For Human Rights Day the Auckland Human Rights Network of which WILPF is an active member held a Forum on Fighting Poverty; A Matter of Obligation not Charity.

One of our members Claire Gregory spoke on the topic of human rights, poverty and peace and the high costs of military spending rather than spending on human needs.

Topics covered by other speakers were economic, cultural and social rights; the effect of government housing policies on low income families; the effect of low wages on employees and their families; the effects of poverty on psychiatric survivors and the effects of trade and economic globalization on fair trade.

Joan Macdonald for WILPF Aotearoa/ New Zealand Section