It comes after reports of disorder at Auckland War Memorial Museum when a small number of Palestinian sympathisers gathering to rally against the building being lit up in Israeli colours met Israeli sympathisers there.

There were also ugly scenes in Sydney last Monday after thousands of pro-Palestinian sympathisers gathered on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, which was illuminated in blue and white in support of Israel.

Video from the event showed protesters also burning Israeli flags, setting off flares and chanting anti-Semitic phrases, including "gas the Jews".

The director-general of security for the Australia Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have since jointly warned of the potential for "spontaneous violence", the Syndey Morning Herald reported. Read more

Addressing a UN expert group in Geneva the commission's Kaitahutahu Rangatahi, Waimihia Maniapoto-Love said there have been periods of good progress towards tino rangatiratanga alongside periods of inactivity.

The Government, the National Iwi Chairs Forum and the commission jointly set about developing a national action plan to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People - or UNDRIP, in 2019. Read more

The research published in Experiences of Workplace Bullying and Harassment in Aotearoa New Zealand showed 61% of disabled workers had been racially harassed in the previous five years, compared to 37% of non-disabled workers.

Nearly 60% of disabled workers had been sexually harassed in the same time period compared to 28% of non-disabled workers.

Meanwhile, 52% had been bullied in the previous 12 months, compared to 17% of non-disabled workers.Read more

Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt admits in the past the Commission has failed to hold successive governments accountable for their housing failures.

Not anymore though.

The Commission is launching a big push, including a new section on its website to educate the public on what the "right to a decent home" means: habitability, affordability, cultural appropriateness, accessibility, location, infrastructure, services and security of tenure.

The right to a decent home does not include sleeping rough - on park benches, streets, laundromats, waiting for years for social housing, and run-down rentals.

Local government also will be under the Commission's spotlight from next year. It'll be looking to see if local government is doing all it can to ensure people have access to a decent home.

Local government is obliged to, Hunt says.

"Are their district plans up to date? Are they reflecting the right to a decent home? Are there fast-track procedures for consents with the right to a decent home?"

In August 2021, the Commission released its framework defining the right to a decent home.

The Commission has also been compiling statistics to help the public judge whether the Government is making progress in providing access to decent homes.

Numbers like state houses per head of population have improved in recent years. Others, like deprivation, have declined.

"I do want to emphasise that this Government, more than any other Government for decades, is taking the housing crisis seriously, and it really does deserve credit for a number of housing initiatives," says Hunt.

He believes the housing crisis occurred because nobody held governments to account for delivering on housing - a result of abolishing the Housing Commission in 1988.

The Commission should have done more and sooner, he admits.

"But nobody was holding Government to account for its promise to do everything it could to deliver the right to a decent home … the human right was just about invisible and that is inconsistent with the promises New Zealand was making in Geneva, in New York, in the United Nations."

That failure is why he calls the crisis 'a failure in democracy', he says.

The media, the Commission, judges and Parliament all failed to hold the Government to account in relation to this human right.

That right is recognised in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. New Zealand signed up to the declaration and maintained a Human Rights Commission since 1977.

"The right to a decent home requires the Government to take all reasonable steps towards realising the right to a decent home for everyone."

"The Government does have this obligation to do everything it can to progressively realise this human right."

Source

• Stuff

"ALRANZ is joined by five individual complainants whose experiences illustrate how New Zealand's current abortion laws discriminate against women and pregnant people, resulting in hurt feelings, loss of dignity and cruel, degrading and disproportionately severe treatment," said ALRANZ national president Terry Bellamak.

A Human Rights Commission spokesperson says it cannot comment on the case.

"It is not possible for us to speculate on the timing of a case that is currently before a judicial body but the indications are that it could be quite a while before the matter is heard by the Tribunal."

However, the spokesperson pointed out that the United Nations has repeatedly called for states to remove abortion from their criminal laws, remove regulatory and administrative barriers that impede women's access to safe abortion services, and provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services to women.

"Going before the Tribunal could mean each of the six women may have to give evidence," Bellamak says.

"It will be a couple of years before the case is heard at this point, so we've got a bit of time to see how law reform works in practice and whether it addresses the fundamental breaches of which we complain."

Reforming conscientious objection is problematic, she says. "That's going to be tough because it's hard for a government to force doctors to make referrals for abortion care."

Source

• newsroom.co.nz
• voxy.co.nzstories
• scoop.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• tvnz.co.nz
• Image: tvnz.co.nz

David Hines, spokesperson for SEN, has been described in the media as a"retired Journalist and lay preacher.

An introduction to a 2012 YouTube video says Hines

• Was a Methodist minister for 10 years, from 1961.
• He resigned and became a journalist, but continued lay preaching.
• Around 1986 he became a Christian atheist, led a church youth group
• And he worked for the Catholic newspaper, Zealandia.
• About 2006 he started lay preaching again.

In a 2014 interview with Danielle Street posted on VICE Hines described himself as a Christian Atheist

"Well, my own beliefs are quite weird. I'm a Christian-Atheist and I'm a lay preacher.

So I've been a Christian all my life, but since I was 21 I've come at it from a secular angle.

I don't believe in the legendary stuff, but I still believe in the rest of it—the values and so on.

In the interview Hines said "When I was gathering comments against the Bible in Schools programme more Christians came and declared themselves against it than Atheists."

In its appeal to the Human Rights Commission SEN will be claiming that section 78 of the Education Act 1964 - which permitted the programmes - is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act.

The case also states that the Education Act 1989 permitted biased teaching about religions and non-religious beliefs in social studies and other classes, and stopped the Ministry of Education from monitoring it or taking action.

The Churches Education Commission (CEC), which runs Bible in Schools in many state schools, has also been accepted as an interested non-party with a right to present evidence.

CEC claim that their classes are suitable for non-religious students and that they support the New Zealand curriculum.

In 2015 Victoria University religious studies professor Paul Morris Morris reviewed two of the CEC courses.

Among other things he concluded that the teaching materials were "at odds with the diverse demography of our country where nationally a minority are Christian and an even smaller minority are conservative evangelical Christians".

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• youtube.com
• vice.com
• religioninschools.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• religiouseducation.co.nz
• Image: vice.com

A case is being taken by Jeff McClintock against Red Beach School.

He laid a complaint with the commission several years ago after his daughter was put in a corner when she opted out of the teaching of Bible stories, which happens for 30 minutes a week.

He is also fighting against laws that permit the Bibles in Schools programme, which operates in more than 600 state primary schools.

Mr McClintock's case is scheduled to come to court on April 26.

Applications from the commission and network campaigners David Hines and Tanya Jacob to join Mr McClintock's action will be heard in the High Court in Auckland on April 6.

According to Mr Hines, Red Beach School has objected to them joining Mr McClintock's case.

The Churches Education Commission, which runs Bible in Schools classes, can call limited evidence.

In a statement, the network members said they want the case extended to include secondary schools, evangelistic youth workers and religious songs and prayers in school assemblies.

They also want to call evidence from members of non-Christian religions.

A Give-a-Little page set up by Mr Hines and Ms Jacob to support their action had raised $6070, as of March 21.

The pages stated tens of thousands of dollars needed to be raised.

The page also noted that the Human Rights Commission has set up a mediation between the Secular Education Network and the Ministry of Education.

"That negotiation is continuing and could lead to new guidelines to schools to reduce religious discrimination," the page noted.

Sources

• New Zealand Herald
• Give-a-Little
• Secular Education Network
• Image: West Oak Today

"We stand alongside all innocent victims of terrorism in peace, solidarity and humanity," said Hazim Arafeh, president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand.

"The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand condemns all terrorist attacks and joins the rest of the world in deep sorrow as we mourn men, women and children murdered by terrorists and extremists."

The Auckland Council of Christians and Muslims has also unequivocally condemned the recent terrorist acts in Paris, Beirut and Sinai.

They say it is simply not possible to claim religious sanction for such heinous acts.

"The call to be peacemakers in the midst of human division is a central, though frequently forgotten, tenet of both the Christian and Muslim traditions."

The Council has invited all New Zealanders to reaffirm their commitment to thoughtful and consistent peace making as a primary expression of their humanity.

Asif Koya, president of the International Muslim Association of New Zealand, told the New Zealand Herald that he condemned what has happened and feared widespread and indiscriminate recoil on the Islamic community.

"I'm sure Muslim's in France will be affected and I wish them well for the pressure they will come under," Koya said.

"Obviously we are very saddened for all the victims and everyone affected. We condemn any act of violence."

Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy urged New Zealanders to recognise "that terrorism has no religion and that Muslim Kiwis unreservedly and wholeheartedly condemn extremism and violence."

"The Human Rights Commission stands alongside Muslim New Zealanders in their continued and uncompromising call for peace," said Dame Susan.

"Hate starts small but so too does hope. Terrorism has no religion and neither does humanity: we urge Kiwis to stand together in humanity."

On Sunday about 100 people from the Muslim community gathered in downtown Auckland to protest against terrorist group Isis.

Both young and old gathered at the Aotea Square and called on world leaders to unite against the group Isis.

One woman told the group Isis had again struck its deadly hand on the people of France.

But many other people around the world - including in Afghanistan - had lost their lives to terrorist actions.

"Though 120 people have been killed in Paris and the world is shaking right now, but what about the people, the thousands who have been killed [already]? Whoever knows about it?"

The speaker said now was the time for the world's leaders to come together to fight Isis' regime.

Source

• supplied
• nzherald.co.nz
• hrc.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• 3news.co.nz
• Image: nzherald.co.nz

"We can help our own people and we can also save some of the world's most vulnerable people. It doesn't have to be one or the other," said Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy.

"This isn't just about politics: this is about humanity. It isn't just about doing the right thing: it's about doing the humane thing."

"We have failed. On our first World Refugee Day in 2001 there were around 12 million refugees: there are now 73 million people, most of them children, escaping violence and persecution," said Dame Susan.

"According to this week's Global Peace Index, New Zealand is one of the most peaceful places on the planet."

"Fourth in the world to be exact."

"Nor surprisingly Syria - with more than half its own people refugees or displaced - came last in the Global peace Index," said Dame Susan.

Last week Pope Francis made an appeal: Don't close the door to those seeking a better life.

Francis made the comments during his weekly general audience Wednesday. He thanked those who care for refugees and urged governments to act together to prevent forced migration.

Speaking off-the-cuff, he said: "I invite all of you to ask forgiveness for those who close the door on these people who are looking for life, for a family, and to be cared for."

National Director of Christian World Service Pauline Mckay said the global community cannot ignore the drivers of this dislocation or afford to meet the escalating demands for humanitarian assistance.

In July New Zealand will take on the presidency of the United Nations Security Council. It is a unique opportunity to change the game plan to one where countries work together to stop the wars that create refugees.

"We are facing one of the biggest refugee crises in history. It is not business as usual. There are many more people in desperate need than humanitarian agencies like Christian World Service and the global ACT Alliance (Action by Churches Together) of which it is a member can help.

"Much more must be done at the national and international level to stop wars and help refugees," says McKay.

Source

• hrc.co.nz
• scoop.co.nz
• newsadvance.com
• Image: tepapa.govt.nz

Constable Greg Marsden said two headstones had been hit with so much force that they "have broken in half".

The third headstone had a swastika painted on it.

Devoy is absolutely right in saying that it is up to all New Zealanders to act against hatemongers, said Wellington Interfaith Council president Wendy Matthews.

"Our interfaith council, and others around the country, are working constantly to build understanding and co-operation between New Zealand's faith groups, so that violence arising from religious differences, unfortunately now so widespread overseas, will not develop here," she added.

Every year the Human Rights Commission responds to thousands of enquiries and complaints and approximately a third of them are to do with racial discrimination.

This year marked the tenth year of the Commission's Diversity Programme - launched in the wake of attacks on Jewish graves in 2004.

Preaching without Prejudice a resource from the Diocese of Broken Bay.

Source

• Supplied: Wellington Interfaith Council
• The Times of Israel
• Image: Radio New Zealand

"We mourn the tragic, heartbreaking loss of all lives in the conflict in Gaza and Israel: but we must honour their lives by standing up for peace at all costs," said Chief Human Rights Commissioner David Rutherford.

"We do not honour their lives by bringing violent hatred into New Zealand," he said.

The Human Rights Commission statement came after reported attacks on Jewish people and communities, which the commission condemned.

Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy recalled attacks on Islamic New Zealanders following terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001.

"If Kiwis want peace overseas then we need to start by behaving like people who want peace and that's right here in New Zealand. Peace and human rights begin at home," said Dame Susan.

Continue reading

At the start of the year, Roy Warren, whose 5-year-old son attends St Heliers School, originally complained to principal Craig McCarthny about the 30-minute sessions running during school time, but the school refused to stop them.

Warren and another parent made submissions to the Human Rights Commission, which oversaw a mediation session between the two parties in January. It was agreed the school would not run the half-hour lessons during school time.

Continue reading

The Education Act allows a school to close for up to 60 minutes a week for religious instruction, if its board of trustees approves.

St Heliers School surveyed the school community following the complaint.

Figures supplied by the board of trustees show that only 41 per cent of parents voted. Of those, 67 per cent were in favour, 18 per cent were against and 13 per cent were neutral.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: gbs2.wikispaces.com

For

Why should New Zealand primary schools continue to offer a Christian religious education programme to students?

Because we live in a global village and therefore primary school students should have the opportunity to learn about the various religions in our world. The Churches Education Commission provides a Christian-based religious education programme. Other religious organisations have equal rights to provide religious-based education programmes in schools.

Because the curriculum we use teaches students the fundamental values upon which our civil society is built, for example: treat others as we would like to be treated, be honest, forgive others, look after people who are less fortunate than you.

Because the Bible is a great work of literature; this ancient book has influenced great works of art, inspired Broadway shows, and has been influential in shaping cultures around the world. Its stories and ideas are embodied in history and literature. This is not to say that other religions don't also have holy books that they read from and hold in high regard; it's important students in an education environment have the opportunity of learning about the religions that have shaped the world in which we live.

Against

The Human Rights Commission in 2009 published guidelines about religion in schools, and it made a sharp distinction between "religious instruction" and "religious education". Religious instruction means programmes that promote a single religion and invite children to make a decision about it. Religious education means programmes that are multi-cultural, and don't invite a decision. Continue reading

Sources

• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: Urban Christian News