New Zealand has a Human Rights Act that was instituted in 1993 that protects people in New Zealand from unlawful discrimination. Which is when you’re treated differently, unfairly, than another person because of your age, race, disability, ethical belief, etc. In 2019 Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, created an International Human Rights action plan. The plan outlines how New Zealand plans to strengthen their global voice in four different areas:  the rights of people with disabilities, the rights of women and girls, LGBTQIA+ issues, and abolishing the death penalty. This is how New Zealand is standing up and protecting human rights in a global context. 

A major human rights issue that has happened within the last century is the Rwandan Genocide. New Zealand was in the hot seat regarding the genocide because New Zealand is at the helm of the UN security council. When the genocide started there was no immediate response from the UN security council and inadequate briefings on the crisis during the time of the genocide. And in September of 2019 New Zealand became the first country to hand over archives of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. To be able to help people properly understand the genocide.