Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Act 2007

The Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Act 2007 is an Act of Parliament passed in New Zealand in 2007. It removed an exemption from the Human Rights Act 1993 which barred women from serving in combat roles in the New Zealand Defence Force.

Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Act 2007
New Zealand Parliament
Royal assent4 May 2007
Commenced5 May 2007
Introduced byLynne Pillay
Status: Current legislation

Background

When New Zealand ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1985, it reserved the right not to apply the Convention insofar as it conflicted with existing policies prohibiting women from taking up combat roles in the military.[1] The policy was reflected in the Human Rights Act 1993 with a clause exempting the armed forces from the prohibition against discrimination on the basis of gender in regards to combat roles.[2] The policy against women serving in combat was formally rescinded by the NZDF in 2000, but the exemption remained on the statute books as a barrier to full ratification of the CEDAW.

Introduction and passage

The Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Bill was first entered into the member's bill ballot by Labour MP Lynne Pillay on 4 May 2006.[3] It was subsequently drawn on 24 August and introduced to the House. The bill passed its first reading unanimously on 6 September 2006 and was referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee.[4][5]

On 15 December 2006 the Committee recommended it proceed with minor technical amendments.[6] The bill was subsequently adopted by the government in March 2007 in order to ensure its passage before New Zealand's periodic report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women later that year.[7] It was passed through its later stages unanimously, and passed its third reading on 3 May 2007.[8][9]

References
  1. "Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women". United Nations Treaty Collection. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2009.
  2. Human Rights Act 1993, section 33 (repealed): "Nothing in section 22 of this Act shall prevent preferential treatment based on sex being given within the Armed Forces to any member of those forces who has the duty of serving in an active combat role in those forces".
  3. "Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Bill". Scoop Media. 4 May 2006. Retrieved 3 December 2009.
  4. New Zealand Parliamentary Debates 633, 5249
  5. "Another salvo fired for women's rights". Scoop Media. 7 September 2006. Retrieved 3 December 2009.
  6. "Report of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee on the Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Bill" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. 15 December 2005. Retrieved 3 December 2009.
  7. New Zealand Parliamentary Debates 636, 8385
  8. New Zealand Parliamentary Debates 638, 8922
  9. "NZ secures clean bill of health on rights for women". New Zealand Government. 3 May 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2009.
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