Statement of Intent 2013 to 2016 - Human Rights Commission

22 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION | STATEMENT OF INTENTOutcome measuresIn 2013–14, in addition to the impacts and measures setout within our four outcome areas which relate moredirectly to the impact of our own work, we will maintaina select number of key societal impact measures tomonitor. Collectively, these societal measures provide anoverview of progress towards our desired outcomes. Theseare not intended to be comprehensive, but are measuresfrom readily available data to help assess the level of therealisation of civil and political, and economic, social andcultural rights in New Zealand.Where data is available, these measures are disaggregatedacross the population groups of people with disabilities,ethnic minorities, women, young people, children, andMäori. There is very little disaggregated data for peoplewith disabilities, limiting the ability to develop targetedpolicy from an evidence base.We adopted this set of measures in our 2011–14Statement of Intent. The indicators were drawn from themost recently available data at the time, some of whichwere earlier than the 2011 year. The indicators from the2011–14 Statement of Intent have provided the baselinefor tracking progress.The assessment at the time of this Statement of Intent is asfollows:Improvement in the representation and voterparticipation rates in Parliament and local governmentelections disadvantaged groupsFigures from the 2011 General Election showed a slightimprovement in the figures of representation in Parliamentfor Mäori (16% to 17%) and Pacific peoples (4% to 5%)since the 2008 General Election. Asian representationdecreased (5% to 4%). 2 The most significant change sincethe General Election voter turnout was the increasedproportion of Asian people aged 18 or older who voted,which rose from 60.7% in 2008 to 66.4% in 2011. Voterturnout fell for women (from 81.1% to 79.8%) and forPacific people (from 74.5% to 73.1%) and rose slightly forMäori (74.8% to 75%). 3In the 2009 local body elections, Mäori representation inlocal government improved (4.8% to 7.4%) with “Other”groups dropping (6.3% to 2.1%). 4 Local election voterturnout figures dropped slightly for both Mäori (57.6% to56.7%) and female voters (65.2% to 64.3%), remainedstatic for Asian voters (52.2%), and increased by 1.5% forPacific people (62.5% to 64.1%). 5Increase in rates of educational participation andachievementThe percentage of school leavers with NCEA Level 2 orabove increased for males (66% to 70.9%), females(75.8% to77.9%), with rates for Mäori and Pacificpeoples increasing (from 50.4% to 57.1% and 62.9%to 65.5% respectively) in the years from 2008 to 2011. 6Rates of achievement for people with disabilities were tobe measured from a baseline to be determined in 2012.However, this measurement has not been undertaken.Decrease in the rates of people not engaged in education,employment or training (NEET)Between 2010 and 2012, the NEET rate of young peopleaged 15−19 remained relatively steady (increasing slightlyfrom 9.2% to 9.6%). For the 20−24 age group, the NEETrate was higher, with a slight increase between 2010 and2012 (17.1% and 18.5% respectively). 7Employment ratesHousehold Labour Force Survey figures in the year toDecember 2012 show a high unemployment rate for youngpeople (15−24 years) at 18.9% compared to the overallrate of 6.9%. Mäori and Pacific peoples’ unemploymentrates are at 14.8% and 16.0% respectively, followed byunemployment rates of 8.0 % and 5.5 % for Asian and2 Source: http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/ParlSupport/ResearchPapers/d/c/3/00PlibCIP191-The-2011-General-Election.htm.3 Source: General Social Survey 2010. Relates to 2009 local elections.4 Source: Correspondence with Local Government NZ. Response rate was 47.2% to the elected members survey. Survey went to all elected members in 2011, not justmayors, chairs and councillors as in previous years.5 Source: General Social Survey 2010. Relates to 2009 local elections.6 Source: www.dol.govt.nz/publications/lmr/scorecard/feb-2013/scorecard-feb-2013.pdf.7 Source: Statistics New Zealand Household Labour Force Survey December 2012 Quarter, (released 07 February 2013) http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/incomeand-work/employment_and_unemployment/HouseholdLabourForceSurvey_HOTPDec12qtr.aspxhttp://www.dol.govt.nz/publications/lmr/quick-facts/youth.asp.