The Human Rights Commission is launching a video today at the Iwi Leaders Forum in Waitangi which features iwi leaders reading the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples.
The Declaration reinforces that international human rights standards apply to indigenous peoples.
David Rutherford, Chief Commissioner, says this resource is being made freely available to all New Zealanders but
especially to whanau, hapu and iwi in an effort to raise awareness of the Declaration.
“Greater awareness and ownership of the Declaration will help us understand the human rights implicit in the Treaty.
Many of the articles in the Declaration intersect with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi”.
A number of iwi, hapu and whanau leaders appear on the Commission’s video reading the articles of the Declaration in Te
Reo and English.
ENDS