Vine Quick Reads: 12 September 2025

Vine Quick Reads: 12 September 2025

Welcome to our Quick Reads format. Each week we share selected news bites relevant to family violence and sexual violence in Aotearoa.

Law Commission’s review of Human Rights Act protections for transgender, non-binary and intersex people released

Te Aka Matua o te Ture I Law Commission has published la Tangata: Protections in the Human Rights Act 1993 for people who are transgender, people who are non-binary and people with innate variations in sex characteristics (2025). It makes 27 recommendations for reform of New Zealand’s anti-discrimination law to provide clearer protection to people who are transgender or non-binary or who have an innate variation of sex characteristics (sometimes known as intersex). For an overview, see the Law Commission’s media release. For media discussion of the report, see coverage by The Spinoff and Newsroom.

Key mental health and addiction findings from NZ Health Survey 2023/2024 released

Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission have released Key mental health and addiction findings: NZ Health Survey 2023/24 (2025). The report offers key findings on levels of psychological distress, demand for mental health care, level of unmet need for mental health and addiction support, and levels of hazardous drinking and drug use. The report also highlights continuing disparities for disabled adults and Māori and Pacific adults.

UN Women releases paper on practices and strategies for advancing gender equality and women’s rights

UN Women have published Pushing forward for rights, equality and justice in a shifting global context (2025). The paper provides analysis of the strategies and practices that have proven effective in advancing gender equality and women’s rights and addresses global pushback. In addition to specific tactics and priorities, the paper also offers recommendations on strengthening accountability, securing sustainable funding, and building international solidarity.