The Taku Manawa program is a human rights community development initiative run by the New Zealand Human Rights Commission in four regions of New Zealand. The program aims to empower communities to identify and advocate for their own human rights issues. It does this through grassroots partnerships and participation using six human rights principles. Evaluations show the program strengthens relationships within communities and provides a framework for local decision-making.

1. Taku Manawa A Community Development Approach in Your Region The New Zealand Human Rights Commission Presents:

2. “Not about us, without us…”

4. To examine the underpinning principles of the programme

7. Human Rights and Community Development Human rights community development is Grassroots Communities HRC Regional Support HRC Government Policy/Planning

8. A human rights community development approach links two significant practices: Community Development - empowering people within their communities to use their skills to address issues that they have identified and to have full participation in the process Human Rights –that which underpins our relationships with others and our functions in society. Human rights and responsibilities make up all aspects of our individual and collective existence

10. Human Rights Community Development Model

11. The Human Rights Approach A ‘human rights approach' has been adopted by the Commission as the conceptual base for all aspects of its work. The Human Rights Approach involves 6 principles: 1. Linking of decision-making at every level to the agreed human rights norms. 2. Identification of all the relevant human rights of all involved and, in the case of conflict, the balancing of the various rights to maximise respect for all rights and right-holders, prioritising those of the most vulnerable. 3. Emphasising the participation of all in decision-making

12. 4. Accountability for actions and decisions, which allows individuals and groups to express concerns about decisions that affect them adversely. 5. Non-discrimination through the equal enjoyment of rights and obligations by all. 6. Empowerment of individuals and groups by encouraging the use of rights as leverage for action and to legitimise their voice in decision-making. The 3 P’s of Human Rights: • Partnership • Participation • Principles

13. TAKU MANAWA

14. Taku Manawa/My Human Rights was designed initially by the NZ Human Rights Commission in 2001 as an educational resource for “grassroots” communities In 2003, this initiative was extended to become a human rights community development programme based on adult education principles and practices. The Taku Manawa Human Rights Community Development Programme pilot began in the Bay of Plenty and East Coast of Aotearoa/ New Zealand in July 2003 and has since been implemented in Tai Tokerau Northland, Murihiku Southland and Kirikiriroa Hamilton Its development over the past seven years has been led by the individuals, organisations and communities that have engaged with it. This constantly evolving process has included an in-depth evaluation of the training, expectations of members and the HRC, and on going work within the community

15. • When communities are given knowledge, training and support, they can be empowered to identify, advocate for, and resolve their own human rights issues •Communities are encouraged to foster human rights approaches in local planning and decision-making

16. Tairawhiti

17. Te Tai Tokerau

18. Murihiku

19. Kirikiriroa

21. EMPOWERMENT

22. ACCOUNTABILITY

23. STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS

25. • ensuring flexibility to meet changes proposed by participants, • facilitating formal and informal spaces for dialogue, conversation and having fun, • mentoring and supporting facilitators and organisations throughout the project, • brokering relationships between HRC staff and Commissioners and the facilitators that don’t rely on ongoing involvement from the project manager, • sound dialogical processes, • celebrating successes!

26. human rights education creates meaningful and sustainable change – building human rights capability amongst those most vulnerable to human rights violations, and building understanding amongst those most able to violate, or defend, those rights.