CUR103 Human Rights Policy 2024.3

Human Rights Policy

References

Licensing criteria for centre-based ECE services amended September 2022

Employment New Zealand legislation

Human Rights Act 1993 (amendment 2001)

Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities

Our code, our standards – Code of professional responsibility and standards for the Teaching Profession

Rationale

To protect employees, whānau and tamariki from any form of discrimination under the Human Rights Act 1993 and Human Rights Act Amendment 2001. This sits alongside early childhood and education licensing criteria in ensuring suitable human resource management practices are implemented.

Statement of Intent

To provide and operate a fair, safe, inclusive, and healthy workplace that values diversity, and where all learners/akonga and employees (regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, learning support needs, neurodiversity, national origin, or religious belief) feel they have a sense of belonging and are free from discrimination. To ensure all employees are aware of the Human Rights Act 1993 (amended 2001) and their practices with regards to other staff, kaiako, tamariki, and whānau are non-discriminatory.

Policy

Windsor Montessori Preschool values diversity and does not discriminate against employees, potential employees, tamariki, whānau, or any other person by reason of gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy or childbirth, ethical belief, colour, race, disability, age, employment status, political opinion or family status (NZ Human Rights Commission).

Windsor Montessori Preschool respects human rights. This means that we avoid infringing on the human rights of others and we will address adverse human rights impacts where we see them to management who then investigate on our behalf and where appropriate inform relevant third parties. We accept the responsibility to respect human rights and further recognise those human rights expressed in the International Bill of Human Rights and the principles concerning fundamental rights set out in the International Labour Organisation’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. We operate a fair, safe and healthy workplace and will maintain an environment free from violence, harm, discrimination or harassment (NZ Human Rights Commission).

The responsibility to respect human rights requires that we:

Avoid causing or contributing to adverse human rights impacts through our own activities and address such impacts when they occur
Seek to prevent or mitigate adverse human rights impacts that are directly linked to the way we and others work and behave at our centre

We acknowledge the Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of our nation and will operate in a manner consistent with its values and principles, those of the Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities, and those of the Early Childhood Licensing Criteria and relevant legislation.

Enrolment

In accordance with the Human Rights Act 1993, Windsor Montessori Preschool will not:

Refuse or fail to enrol a tamaiti
Enrol a tamaiti on less favourable terms and conditions than would otherwise be made available.
Deny or restrict access for any tamaiti to the benefits and services we provide
Exclude a tamaiti or subject them to any other detriment.

Implementation

Windsor Montessori Preschool’s Human Rights policy is embedded in our strategic planning and our philosophy, and underpins our policies and procedures.

Windsor Montessori Preschool’s Human Rights policy becomes a living document for our learning community and environment through ensuring:

All employees of Windsor Montessori Preschool are aware of the policy and adhere to its principles.
It forms part of the Windsor Montessori Preschool’s induction processes
Is publicly available for inspection by parents, whānau, and visitors to our learning environment

Review next November 2025