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2 Pub. Int. L.J. N.Z. 53 (2015)
High Hopes, Disappointing Reality: Implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities When the Going Gets Tough

handle is hein.journals/piljnz2 and id is 57 raw text is: ARTICLE High Hopes, Disappointing Reality: Implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities When the Going Gets Tough ERIN GOUGH* This article explores the challenges of implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in the context of the Christchurch earthquake rebuild. General United Nations treaty implementation mechanisms and their challenges are discussed, as well as challenges specific to the CRPD. In the context of Christchurch, it is argued that the earthquake rebuild is a prime opportunity to make Christchurch more accessible and inclusive for everyone, however, this opportunity is not being seized upon. This is due to inadequate mandatory building standards and a belief that making buildings accessible costs more and only benefits disabled people. The article identifies two government- funded social change initiatives attempting to change this belief and concludes that a significant shift in New Zealand's human rights culture is necessary for the CRPD to be adequately implemented. I The CRPD A Background to the CRPD and New Zealand's involvement The idea of a Convention aimed at promoting and protecting the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities first came about in 2001 when the United Nations General Assembly established an Ad Hoc Committee to consider the issue.' The Committee, which included New Zealand Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), * BA, LLB student at the University of Canterbury, and working for the Human Rights Commission in Wellington. The author would like to thank Senior Lecturer Natalie Baird for her belief in and assistance with this article. 1 Don Mackay Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol (13 December 2006) United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law <http://legal.un.org>.

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