About the Strategy

A map to guide our way

Since the first New Zealand Disability Strategy was developed in 2001 there has been real progress in the lives of many disabled people and their families and whanau. A significant milestone was the development of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons, which New Zealand ratified in 2008.

Disabled children are growing up wanting the same things as non-disabled children and the expectations of disabled adults have changed and grown. There is also a growing recognition that disabled people are experts in their own lives, and ensuring their right to be involved in the decisions that impact on them will lead to better outcomes.

Even though there has been progress since 2001, this revised Strategy is needed because disabled people remain worse off than non-disabled people across all social and economic outcomes. This persistent gap has a flow-on effect. When disabled people are not able to participate in society, the entire country misses out on their contribution.

Read the New Zealand Disability Strategy 2016-2026

Read about the revision of the Strategy in 2016 

Find out more about the New Zealand Disability Strategy 2001 

Read the progress reports from the Minister for Disability Issues on the 2001 Strategy