New Zealand

Specialized body - Gender equality

Social Services and Community Committee October 2017

About

Nature

Permanent or temporary (ad-hoc)

View field in the data dictionary

No information available

Related to Chambers

House of Representatives

Themes

Gender equality

Members

Chairperson(s)

(2023-12)

See historical data for this field

Person

Person details for the Chair

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Joseph Mooney (Male)
Date of birth: 1979

Political affiliation

No information available

Committee functions

The Committee has the following functions:

Mainstream gender equality into the work of (other) parliamentary committees and of Parliament as a whole

No

Scrutinise all Bills from a gender perspective

No

Scrutinise the Executive’s policy from a gender perspective

Yes

Obtain information from the Executive about the justification for actions or inaction which affect gender equality and women’s rights

Yes

Scrutinise State compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

Yes

Initiate inquiries of its own choosing

Yes

Scrutinise proposed treaties on gender equality, and other international treaties with implications for gender equality and women’s rights, and report to Parliament thereon, prior to ratification

Yes

Ascertain and review the Executive’s reasons for not acceding to or ratifying existing international human rights treaties on gender equality and women’s rights

Yes

Scrutinise the Executive’s response to human rights judgments - of national, regional and international courts – that have gender considerations

Yes

Monitor the adequacy of the existing national system for the promotion of gender equality

Yes

Review the allocation and expenditure of funds in the State budget to support measures to promote gender equality and protect women’s rights

Yes

Other important functions, please specify

The Committee has a wide subject area including: social development, social housing, income support, women, children, young people, seniors, Pacific peoples, ethnic communities, arts, culture and heritage, sport and recreation, voluntary sector.

Members may question relevant Government agencies and Ministers during the annual review of Ministry for Women and the annual examination of the Estimates for Vote Women.

It is likely that a treaty on gender equality and women’s rights would be referred to the Committee for examination. Subject select committees by way of Standing Order 188 may consider and report to the House on: bills, petitions, annual reviews, estimates, supplementary estimates, international treaty examinations, reports of Officers of Parliament, any other matters. They are not allowed to consider: a bill that has not been referred to it or a Supplementary Order Paper without the approval of the House or the Business Committee.

See historical data for this field

Committee involvement in international and national reporting mechanisms

Such as the UN Human Rights Council and its' Universal Periodic Review, the UN CEDAW Committee etc.

Consulted in the preparation of the most recent national report to the CEDAW Committee

No

Included in the official delegation which orally presented the most recent national report to the CEDAW Committee

No

Discussed the conclusions and recommendations which the CEDAW Committee adopted as a result

No

Conducted hearings with the Executive about its plans to implement CEDAW conclusions and recommendations

No

Involved in the preparation of national reports to other international or regional mechanisms (Resolution 1325 of the United Nations Security Council on Women, peace and security, the Beijing Platform for action…)

No

Notes: The structure of the subject select committees was significantly altered following a review of select committees in 2017. Previously, the women’s affairs subject area sat with the Government Administration Committee, which no longer exists. It does not appear that this committee was consulted or had any involvement in the launch of the 2016 CEDAW report. This commission has the power to conduct an inquiry into the State’s compliance with CEDAW.

See historical data for this field

Committee powers

The Committee has the power to:

Propose amendments to legislation

Yes

Introduce bills into Parliament

No

Initiate parliamentary debates on its reports or on subjects of its choosing

No

Carry out inquiries

Yes

Hold oral evidence hearings

Yes

Compel witnesses to attend

No

Compel the production of documents and papers

No

Make recommendations to the Executive

Yes

Conduct visits, including visits abroad

Yes

Access places of detention without notice

No information available

Committee working methods

The Committee:

Adopts an annual or longer-term work plan

No

Publishes reports on its work on the parliamentary website

Yes

Usually reaches consensus on the issues on which it reports

No information available

Systematically follows up its reports and recommendations

No

Reports regularly to Parliament on its activities

Yes

Number of specialised staff to service committee

3

Cooperation and coordination

The Committee regularly cooperates and coordinates (e.g. through sharing of reports; meetings; joint follow-up action) with:

Other parliamentary committees

Sometimes

Civil society organisations

Often

National Human Rights Institution(s) and National Institution(s) for the promotion of gender equality

Often called “Commissions” and/or “Ombudspersons” in the area of human rights

View field in the data dictionary

Often

Academic institutions, including human rights and gender equality research institutes

Often

The media

Never

Contact information for the Committee

Contact / Address

No information available

Phone

+64-38179520

Fax number

No information available

E-mail

[email protected]

Web site

https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/scl/social-services-and-community/