Human Rights Challenge for John Key

Amnesty International today challenges Prime Minister-elect John Key to put human rights at the heart of the new government.

As Mr Key moves quickly to implement his election promises, Amnesty also urges him to honour National’s pledge to support human rights, which was documented in Amnesty’s pre-election human rights survey.

In the survey, National indicated they would for example, “be active in promoting states’ compliance with human rights agreements…with a particular focus on development in the pacific.”

“Like US President-elect Barack Obama, John Key campaigned upon a platform of change. Amnesty now encourages both leaders to demonstrate their commitments to bringing about positive change for human rights,” says Rebecca Emery, Amnesty’s spokesperson.

While the United States section of Amnesty calls on Obama to show world leadership in human rights (including closing the Guantanamo Bay detention centre), Amnesty New Zealand calls on Key to be a human rights leader in the Asia-Pacific.

Amnesty’s challenge to John Key includes:
•    Publicly speaking out on grave human rights abuses occurring within the Asia-Pacific (such as attacks on media freedom and human rights defenders in Fiji),
•    Reconsidering New Zealand’s refusal to support United Nations treaties and declarations which protect the rights of indigenous people, migrant workers and stateless people,
•    Setting deadlines to prioritise government policy on eradicating violence against women,
•    Ensuring that New Zealand’s future preferential trade agreements include minimum binding labour standards set out in international labour laws.

“The change of government in this country offers the opportunity for human rights to be an integral aspect of every policy, action and issue embarked on by the National Government,” says Emery.

“New Zealand has a history of being human rights pioneers, playing a significant role in the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 60 years ago. We hope that the new government will continue this country’s proud tradition of human rights,” adds Emery.

Click here to read more about Amnesty's human rights challenge to John Key

Click here to see what National (and the other parties and candidates) said about human rights in Amnesty's pre-election survey

Click here to Amnesty USA's 100-day challenge to President-elect Barack Obama

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