A Fresh Start for Human Rights

This summary outlines the content of an audio recording from a public forum titled "A Fresh Start for Human Rights," recorded on March 7, 2018, at St Andrew's on the Terrace in Wellington, during the Wellington Pride Festival. The forum featured several speakers including Aimee Eastwood, Claire Miller, Jem Traylen, Jim Waters, Linda Wallace, and Maggie Shippam. The discussion focused on human rights issues spanning from the 1990s to the 2010s, with a particular emphasis on the rights and discrimination against the transgender community in New Zealand.

The recording captures the voices and concerns of the participants. One participant, a transgender activist on the board of Rainbow Wellington, highlighted the findings from a Human Rights Commission inquiry into transgender and intersex discrimination a decade ago. Despite anti-discrimination laws from 1993, the report found persistent discrimination, especially in health services and legal recognition. Another major point of discussion was the government's failure to enforce Human Rights Act requirements, with evidence of systemic discrimination provided by government departments themselves. The inquiry led to recommendations for these departments, but follow-up surveys showed little to no changes had been implemented.

The forum then covered the inadequate surgical services for transgender people, noting discrepancies between services provided to non-transgender individuals and the transgender community. A discussion ensued about the broader failings of the human rights system, where laws prohibiting discrimination seemed to lack substantive enforcement and impact.

Further, the group explored issues related to the census and how the lack of proper representation and counting of minority groups, such as transgender individuals, affects systemic changes. It was posited that without accurate data, governmental responses to the needs of these groups remain insufficient.

The conversation also addressed the gender pay gap, despite longstanding equal pay legislation. An example from Iceland was highlighted, where new laws mandate employers to prove equal pay or face fines, demonstrating a proactive approach to enforcement that contrasts with New Zealand's lack of progress.

The discussion concluded with considerations for a fresh start for human rights—a system that not only enumerates rights but ensures their enforcement. There was a consensus that the current human rights system needed to be more robust, with genuine measures and resources to uphold the laws in place.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Aimee Eastwood Claire Miller Jem Traylen Jim Waters Linda Wallace Maggie Shippam

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