Human rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights ...
remains one of the highest expressions of the human conscience of our time
- Pope John Paul II, 1995

New Zealand and many of our neighbours are signatories to a number of international human rights conventions and convenants. Protecting human rights requires us to monitor and respond to breaches of human rights in our region and at home in New Zealand.

We have a focus on human rights issues in our region, particularly in East Timor and West Papua.  Domestically Caritas monitors the formal UN processes for consideration of New Zealand’s human rights compliance, and has a focus on criminal justice and reconciliation.

• Caritas brochure for the 60^th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, 2008
• Caritas submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights in New Zealand, 2008
• Caritas submission on the draft report of the Universal Periodic Review, 2009

• Criminal justice and reconciliation
• HIV and AIDS
• The Holy Land
• West Papua