The United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and te reo Māori : is the Aotearoa New Zealand government fulfilling its responsibilities? : a research report presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development, Institute of Development Studies, School of People, Environment and Planning, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Massey University, Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand
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Date
2024
DOI
Open Access Location
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Massey University
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© The Author
Abstract
Te reo Māori is the Indigenous language of Aotearoa New Zealand, and its survival and revitalisation is of paramount importance to Māori and others who commit to the language, and to te reo Māori having a rightful place in the fabric of Aotearoa New Zealand society. International Indigenous rights instruments, such as the United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), are one mechanism through which Indigenous languages such as te reo Māori can be protected and revitalised. An important part of implementing such mechanisms is the establishment of monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure that progress (or lack thereof) towards implementation is tracked. Through an Indigenous rights and Kaupapa Māori lens, this research report seeks to determine the extent to which the Aotearoa New Zealand government’s approach to the revitalisation of te reo Māori, aligns with its responsibilities as a signatory to the UNDRIP. Three research questions are posed. Firstly, what responsibilities does the Aotearoa New Zealand government have as a signatory to the UNDRIP? Secondly, what has been the Aotearoa New Zealand government’s approach to the revitalisation of te reo Māori? Thirdly, how has the Aotearoa New Zealand government’s approach to te reo Māori revitalisation aligned (or not) with its responsibilities as a signatory to the UNDRIP? This research used a document analysis as its primary method. An UNDRIP Compliance Assessment Tool developed in Canada by Smith & Mitchell (2020) was adapted to assess the government in Aotearoa New Zealand’s compliance with selected UNDRIP articles as it relates to te reo Māori. When looking at the performance of government here, the overall assessment is that there is evidence of some good practice albeit within the boundaries and systems of the state. For the Aotearoa New Zealand government to fully meet its responsibilities under the UNDRIP, there would need to be more of an effort to support Māori to lead the protection and revitalisation of te reo Māori (through self-determination). However, this is unlikely to happen in the current political environment. The current National-led coalition government has made clear its unwillingness to provide support for either te reo Māori or for progressing the UNDRIP implementation plan – He Puapua. Similar research or an evaluation undertaken in three plus years’ time would help uncover the likely negative impact of this policy position, on both the revitalisation of te reo Māori and on progressing Indigenous rights through the UNDRIP in this country.
Description
131897 research report for Master of International Development