Collins puts NZ human rights under the spotlight

Claims of human rights violations following the Christchurch earthquake are about to be put under the international spotlight at the United Nations.

The day-to-day challenges of life post-quake have slipped from international headlines, but now the United Nations wants to know how people are coping.

Justice Minister Judith Collins will present a report on New Zealand's human rights record for other countries to critique.

Ms Collins is currently in London for meetings and will travel to Geneva, where she will present the first update on human rights in New Zealand since 2009.

"The Human Rights Commission have been reasonably critical of some of the work that has gone on there, so that is certainly something I will be speaking on," says Ms Collins. "[I] hope to bring [a] reality check about what happens when you have 11,000-plus earthquakes over [a] matter of two years."

Christchurch residents group CanCERN lodged a formal complaint with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development last month over hundreds of alleged human rights violations, including poor health as a result of delays with the Earthquake Commission and insurance companies.

Ms Collins says she wonders "how it could" amount to a human rights violation, "given that we aren't in charge of the earthquakes".

An area Ms Collins admits New Zealand can improve on is its figures on domestic violence and social inequality for Maori - the focus of New Zealand's last human rights review.

"It's not something we should say we're completely proud of our record. What [we] can say is [we are] very proud of the steps we've taken and that we are very honest about the situation."

After Ms Collins has presented the report, United Nations member countries report back with recommendations for New Zealand to improve human rights. However, the recommendations are not legally binding as it's effectively just suggestions.

Read more:
Collins puts NZ human rights under the spotlight