Finding Common Ground: building a shared declaration of disability rights Posted by Posted by Jade Farrar on 13 April 2026 Posted on: 13 April 2026

NEGL is excited to let you know about our new project, Finding Common Ground! This is an initiative led by us in equal partnership with, Disabled Persons Assembly NZ (DPA) and Te Ao Mārama Aotearoa (TAMA) to collectively build a shared declaration of disabled people’s rights in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is being generously funded by Foundation North, the J R Mackenzie Trust and Spectrum Foundation.

Disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori have long advocated for our rights, dignity, and inclusion. Despite this, our voices are still too often excluded from decisions that affect our lives. A strong, collective declaration of disability rights in Aotearoa New Zealand will amplify existing advocacy and provide a tool for holding decision makers to account, ahead of the 2026 General Election and beyond.

The work is grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Enabling Good Lives. Over the coming months, disabled people, whānau and family members will have multiple opportunities to share their views through surveys and online discussions. A nationwide survey is planned for April 2026, followed by a hui in Ōtautahi Christchurch in May 2026. All this collective input will help shape what goes into the declaration and ensure it reflects the voices and lived experience of our communities.

If you would like to be part of this mahi, please sign up to stay informed!

Any questions please email: FindingCommonGround@dpa.org.nz

Find out more and register your interest at: https://www.dpa.org.nz/dpa-projects/finding-common-ground/