56th session of the Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences

Delivered by Senior Policy Officer Connor Tieman

Mr President,

We welcome the update by the Special Rapporteur. New Zealand attaches great importance to combatting violence against women and girls. It is a serious and pervasive issue, both in New Zealand and globally, and we must continue to find ways to counter this violence and protect women's rights. New Zealand also remains committed to combatting both exploitation and human trafficking.

New Zealand supports the Aotearoa New Zealand Sex Workers' Collective's assertion that recognising sex work as labour is crucial to protecting the human rights of sex workers and is an important mechanism to reduce violence against them.

New Zealand's Prostitution Reform Act decriminalised the provision of commercial sexual services. It aimed to reduce harm through safeguarding sex workers' rights, promoting and enabling ordinary employment relationships, safely enforcing health and safety laws, and protecting vulnerable people from being trafficked or exploited for sex work.

New Zealand's experience has been that these aims have largely been achieved.

The benefits of decriminalising sex work are widely documented. This includes better health outcomes, reduced socio-economic harm and access to justice. As acknowledged by the HRC Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, decriminalising sex work has improved the working conditions, relationships with Police and the overall rights of sex workers in New Zealand.

Madame Special Rapporteur - how can the international community continue to work to address the root causes of violence against women and girls?

Thank you.

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