Implementing the Convention

Learn more about the process for reporting on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the Convention).

Reporting on the Convention

Every government that has ratified the Convention has to provide regular progress reporting on implementation.

After a government has submitted a progress report, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will send the country a 'List of Issues'. These are a list of questions the Committee wants the government to answer in writing. These questions are normally based on the information from the government's progress report as well as reports from civil society organisations (non-government organisations or NGOs).

Once the government has provided answers to the questions in the List of Issues, representatives from the government will go to Geneva, Switzerland to meet with the Committee. At the meeting the Committee asks the government more questions about what it is doing to implement the Convention. The Committee also meets separately with civil society organisations.

The progress report, List of Issues, information from civil society, and the meeting in Geneva are all part of the review of progress for each country that has ratified the Convention.

After the review of progress, the Committee sends each country 'Concluding Observations'. These recognise the things the country is doing well and also includes recommendations on things that need to improve.

First review of New Zealand’s progress

The first progress report on New Zealand's implementation of the Convention was submitted to the United Nations in March 2011. This followed consultation on the report from November to December 2010.

In September 2014, the United Nations Committee held the first review meeting in Geneva on how New Zealand was implementing the Convention.

Learn about the United Nations' first review of New Zealand's implementation of the Convention external URL

Second review of New Zealand’s progress

New Zealand's second review started in March 2018

The process for New Zealand's second review is different to the first review. Instead of submitting a separate progress report, the Government responded to the List of Issues. This is called a 'Simplified Reporting Process'.

Learn about the second review of New Zealand. external URL

Response to the recommendations

In 2025, the New Zealand Government agreed to an overall Government response to implement 30 out of 63 Concluding Observations that came from New Zealand’s last examination by the United Nations (UN) committee on its implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. A further 17 observations will be considered as part of a refreshed Disability Strategy.

Learn about the Government's response to recommendations from the second review of New Zealand external URL