The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a process of the United Nations Human Rights Council to review each country’s human rights record every five years, and make recommendations for improvements.
Takatāpui and rainbow people in New Zealand face specific barriers to experiencing their human rights, and limited government support to protect and uphold these rights.
The UPR process asks New Zealand to report regularly about how well we are supporting the human rights of people in this country. Other countries who are Member States of the UN have the opportunity to ask questions and make recommendations about how New Zealand could improve our human rights record.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has more information about the UPR process, and copies of New Zealand’s official reports. Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission has information about their role monitoring the UPR.
Rainbow UPR recommendations
New Zealand’s third UPR cycle was the first to include recommendations specific to rainbow rights. States recommended that New Zealand:
end non-consensual medical procedures affecting intersex people (accepted by NZ)
amend the Human Rights Act (1993) to include gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics as prohibited grounds of discrimination (noted, not accepted, by NZ)
The fourth UPR cycle included five specific rainbow recommendations, that New Zealand:
uphold intersex children’s right to self-determination and ban non-urgent and non-essential medical or surgical treatment on intersex children until they are able to provide informed consent
include gender identity, expression, sex characteristics and intersex status as prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Human Rights Act
protect against violence towards LGBTI people
Rainbow inputs to the Universal Periodic Reviews of New Zealand
Fourth UPR Cycle (2024):
Feedback on the recommendations to the fourth UPR process from Te Ngākau Kahukura and Rainbow Support Collective.
Takatāpui and rainbow human rights in Aotearoa - advocacy factsheet and slides from a presentation by Te Ngākau Kahukura at a UPR pre-session in March 2024.
Third UPR Cycle (2018):
Second UPR Cycle (2013):
submission from Aotearoa New Zealand’s Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex (SOGII) UPR Coalition (cover page) (main submission) (appendix 1: summary) (appendix 2: list of recommendations) (appendix 3: definitions) (appendix 4: Standards for a Depathologised Approach to Trans Health Services)
First UPR Cycle (2009):