Last Blog Entry # 8

1. Which guest lecture did you find most informative, inspiring, and/or challenging? Write a short reflection stating your reasons.

There were many great lectures that I could learn and remind the importance of something I took it for granted. Such as neglect to abusing water, environment and waste. Also, studies about human rights including poverty, women’s rights and education. The most interesting lecture that I heard was on September 27th, about Myanmar(Burma). The country recently adopted democratic policies. I did not know Myanmar used to have different name and consist of approximately 135 ethnic groups and diverse culture. The main reason why I become interested to Burma is because of its education system and student’s reaction.

In Burma, student does not have much freedom in school compare to the United States students. Students in Burma are fighting for educational freedom. After the lecture and discussion about Myanmar, I become more interested about Burma, so I researched more about Burma. They have potential to be developed in short time by its substantial amount of natural resources and low cost of labor fee. They can develop their country in very short period like China did. I hope school policy develop as soon as possible and let student have freedom and right to choose what they want to study and where they want to go. Not only school policy but I also hope Burma resolve ethical and political issues in short future.

1. What insights did you gain doing research on your country?

I was very happy to study and research about New Zealand. I was an exchange student to learn English in New Zealand for a semester about fourteen years ago. I was very young so I was not able to see any problems around the world. The only thing that I remember about New Zealand was beautiful nature and animal species only lives in New Zealand. However, after doing research, I was very sad and disappointed because of ongoing problems in New Zealand and hope everyone know about problems in New Zealand. Insights that I could gain through research are: global warming, human trafficking, and human rights in New Zealand.

Global warming is an ongoing problem and everyone need to aware of the problem and start to prevent it. Through research, I could learn about result of global warming, such as climate changes in New Zealand, loss of profit in fishery industry. Maori, indigenous people, who are vulnerable to climate change, their problems and difficulties to maintain their life. Maori people usually make money from nature such as fishing and farming. Due to climate change, they cannot make enough profits. Also many animal species only lived in New Zealand were decreasing due to climate changes.

Human trafficking is also a major problem in New Zealand. Since many Pacific Islanders are coming to New Zealand to find a job, some of New Zealand people make them modern slaves in many ways. They do not pay minimum wages to pacific islander for working in their farms and sell them to become prostitutes. Some of Asian female student lured to come New Zealand for make money such as $4,000 per month and Visa will be supports, but in fact, when she arrives to New Zealand, her passport was taken by gangsters and sent to prostitute place.

Human rights is big problem in New Zealand, Maori or pacific islander are not having enough education or health care compare to European immigrants in New Zealand. Accordingly, poverty rates, imprisoned rates, and mortality rates are high in Maori groups. The government of New Zealand try to resolve these problems by establishing schools teach with Maori language and hire more doctors who can speak Maori language in order to treat Maori people better than before.

I learned that there are many ongoing problems in New Zealand. Even if the government of New Zealand and many NGO work to resolve the problems in New Zealand, if people do not recognize the problem and are aware of it, problems cannot be solved. I believe, the first step of reducing problem in the New Zealand, is everyone recognize problem.

 

Blog#7

1. Sex trafficking, sex slavery is an issue in New Zealand.

According to the U.S. State Department, New Zealand had title of a “source country” for sex trafficking of underage girls and a destination country for modern slavery. Also New Zealand classified as a “tier one” country, which mean that New Zealand only have minimum standards and have one of the worst system for protecting trafficking victims in the world (Donnell . 2012).

There are many reason to become victims of sex trafficking. One of reason is the gang trafficking rings. A recent example is Malaysian sex worker who need help from police to retrieve her passport back from her brothel owner. She said she were lure by $5600 to come to Auckland, New Zealand to be prostitute. However, was later told that it was a loan she had to repay (Tan. 2010).

Furthermore, hundreds of young women in New Zealand are selling themselves for sex on a classified ad website. Advertisement offering a “very pretty Maori girl” or “Caribbean beauty”. The ads show a photo of the women and a biography explaining their physical features, including available sexual services (Carville. 2016)

It is not easy to find sexual trafficking until prostitute report themselves. According to agency of immigration of New Zealand, Nigel Bickle, after his interview in Auckland brothel, prostitutes were satisfied and there were no indications of exploitations.  To reduce and protect sex trafficking, the government and the labor department are research into international best practice in supporting and protecting victims (Tan. 2010).

 

2. The article (pdf) Born Free talks about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which came into effect in 2016. Find out if human trafficking is addressed by one of the goals? What needs to be done to combat human trafficking?

According to the article Born Free, after 2015, in the world, we might actually see a significant decline in human trafficking including, buying and selling of children, women and men. To reduce and remove human trafficking, Sustainable Development goals are used by the Outcome Documents. Under proposed goal five, no matter genders and sex, everyone should be equal. Under the eighth goal, promote sustained, sustained economic growth, and place must be able to work. These proposal urges the end of the trafficking of children and soldiers by 2025. There are also sub-goals which can start to eliminate trafficking, “provide[ing] legal identity for all including birth registration,” promoting “sustainable tourism,’ and “sustainable transport systems…with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children with disabilities…” (Mendelson 2014).

According to UNICEF, combatting organized crime, promoting the rule of law, and reducing all forms of violence are all connected to ending trafficking in the world. Which include end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. These goals cannot be achieved if we do not work together. The National Human Trafficking Resource Center in the United States has launched a Global Hotline Network, UNICEF had launched The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children in order to accomplish the goal of eliminating trafficking. Also it is important to have access to decent, stable job. Since poverty is one of the root causes for slavery and human trafficking. Situations of desperation are created when families cannot have food, health care or unavailability of education. Many reason for human trafficking begin with an individual’s hope to get a decent job. If nation truly concern and invest in economic opportunities, it will reduce human trafficking. As the SDG’s will integrate the three core dimensions of sustainable development: the social, the economic and the environmental – UNICEF’s message is that sustainable development starts with safe, healthy, and well-educated children (UNICEF, 2016)

 

 

 

 

Donnell, H. (June 20, 2012). NZ Criticized for Sex-Trafficking and Slavery. Nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved from              http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10814256

Tan, L. (Aug 4, 2010). NZ’s Sex-Slave Cases ‘Slip Under Radar’. Nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved from.  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10663446

Carville, O. (Sep 22, 2016). Exposed: The Dark Underbelly of Human Trafficking in New Zealand. Nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11711211

Mendelson, SE. (Sept 22, 2014). Born Free: How to Prevent Human Trafficking.

UNICEF. (Jan 29, 2016). End Trafficking Campaign: The Sustainable Development Goals that Aim to End Human Trafficking. UNICEF. Retrieved from https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/sustainable-development-goals-aim-end-human-trafficking/29864

Post #6

1. What are the principal concerns Linda Polman raises in her book?

 

The purpose of humanitarian aids were to helping the poor and who need help. However, most of donated money for humanitarian aids are using for different purpose, including supporting warlords. Also, private aid operations and charitable organizations have commercial interests rather to help people and stay neutral. Also Polman discussed about what happened in Goma. Indiscriminate aids ultimately caused bigger conflict and then genocide. Which support the idea that humanitarian aids and donate money somehow worsening the situation.

 

2. Why does she say “Aid organizations are businesses dressed up like Mother Teresa” (p. 177)? 3.

 

Polman talking about NGOs not having enough regulations and journalists easily approve NGO without enough suspicious or qualification. When journalists are sent in to report of the aid situation and process, they are just report and interview around by the aid providers. Journalists do not interview refugees or neighbors for situation. They don’t report about dark side of aid organization. Such as bribing of the warlord and supporting money not for people really need help. Reporters does not question about workers in NGO, such as their certifications. Workers in NGO provide medical treatment but not all of them have certification. Which mean that NGO have not enough regulation and restriction. Finally, Polman mentioned that even if aid organizations says their main concern to help people in needs and improve but organizations might be just doing business to make money.

 

3. What do journalists, the public, governments have to do to make humanitarian aid successful?

In order to make humanitarian aid successful, Journalist are deliver of the situation to newspaper readers and to government officers to realize and aware of situation. According to Polman, most donor governments and private donors give money based on newspaper headline. Which should lead supporters to have right awareness instead of false awareness to help business purpose NGO to make money.

Public should not always trust on media and always questions about where this money will be used. Polman hope readers and public to be as informed as possible. Such as which location they are supporting and the goal and plan of NGO. Understand about the culture, economic system and social environment where they will provide aids. Also know about the NGOs’ plan and whether that organizations become more alike business organizations. Public should aware of situation before they send money to organization.

Government has duty to ensure the welfare of its citizens. Government’s priority concern must be take care of its citizens always, including recovery from natural disasters, government should help its citizens as much as they can. Polman recommended that both the government and NGO work together to support humanitarian crisis.Polman says the government should not expect humanitarian aid to step in and do their job for them. Instead the government should take care of its citizen during wartime. She recommends that both the government and NGOs work together to assist humanitarian problem.

 

 

Polman, Linda. (2010). The Crisis Caravan: What’s Wrong with Humanitarian Aid?. Translated by Liz Waters.  Metropolitan Books.

Post#5

Climate change is one of the most serious global health threats of the 21^st century. It is already causing significant morbidity, with impacts predicted to increase significantly over coming decades. Leading health threats include fresh water and food shortages, extreme weather, increasing level of sea water, disease, and psychological stress. Vulnerability to the health effects of climate change varies between populations, geographic location, demographics including socioeconomic status, background burden of climate- related health conditions, health system capability, and capacity to adapt new conditions. According to the UNESA, climate change is a potential threat to indigenous people’s existence and a major issue of human rights and equity (Jones, R., Bennett, H., Keating, G., & Blaiklock, A. 2016). According to Elizabeth Lindsey, in Micronesia, indigenous people, have not enough food, medicine, no running, and no electricity (Elizabeth. 2012).

In New Zealand, climate change impacts on the wider cultural, social, and economic determinants of heath for Maori, indigenous people in New Zealand. Experience in recent decades shows that Maori and other socially disadvantaged groups tend to experience uneven health outcomes from economic changes that increase social inequality. Firstly, indigenous relationships with the natural environment are critical and Maori explicitly consider a healthy environment to be a prerequisite for food health. The loss of identity due to displacement and dispossession of lands, resources, and waters is closely related to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. The Maori economy is disproportionately invested in climate-sensitive primary industries, and is likely to experience significant adverse effects from global environmental and socioeconomic trends as a result of climate change. Losses in the Maori economy will increase unemployment and reduce average income (Jones, R., Bennett, H., Keating, G., & Blaiklock, A. 2016).

To alleviate disproportionate, there are some obligations arising from the right to health are subject to neither resource constraints nor progressive realization, but are of immediate effect. The duty to avoid discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as race, sex, language, and disability is also effective immediately. In New Zealand, Maori can be fully engaged in decision making on issues that affect their taonga, including health (Jones, R., Bennett, H., Keating, G., & Blaiklock, A. 2016)

Scientists, economists, and politicians from around the world have emphasized that the global community must take drastic and immediate action if the worst effects of climate change are to be avoided (Steger, 2009. p 95). Government must reduce carbon emission, including phasing out subsidies for fossil fuel. They must also help people adapt to climate change, and provide compensation, for example to those who have lost their homes because of rising sea levels (Carvalho, S. 2015).   Since 2013, New Zealand has started to systematically delineate the legal protection framework applicable to claims based on the effects of climate change. New Zealand’s jurisprudence provides the most comprehensive analysis by decision makers to date about the scope and content of protection for refuges of casualties of climate change (Mcadam, 2015).

According to Farisa, eurocentrism denotes the emerging perception within the European cultural historical experience of European identity as good or less advanced. Jacques Derrida mentioned that Europe can no longer force other cultures to accept its values and lifestyle because liberal democracy in the West has failed in many respects. Such as, racism, class divisions, economic oppression and sociocultural inequalities have become too pervasive in the Western world.  Living in a multicultural world means live with different, culturally-specific interpretations of fundamental values such as human rights and liberties. If one attempt to engage with the other, and if one try to appreciate the different cultural understandings of human rights and liberties, one will at least have taken the first step beyond the politics of essentialism and ethnocentrism (Farisa).

 

 

Jones, R., Bennett, H., Keating, G., & Blaiklock, A. (July 1, 2016). Climate Change and the Right to Health for Maori in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Health and Human Rights Journal. Volume 16, Number 1. Retrieved from

https://www.hhrjournal.org/2014/07/climate-change-and-the-right-to-health-for-maori-in-aotearoanew-zealand/

Steger, M B. (2009). Globalization: A very short introduction. (2Ed.). Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press

Carvalho, S. (December 11, 2015). What has Climate Change got to do with Human Rights?. Amnesty International New Zealand. Retrieved from

https://www.amnesty.org.nz/what-has-climate-change-got-do-human-rights

McAdam, J. (March, 2015). The Emerging New Zealand jurisprudence on climate change, disasters and displacement. Migration Studies. Volume 3 Issue 1. Retrieved from

http://migration.oxfordjournals.org/content/3/1/131.abstract

Farisa, A. Noor. The Need for a Multicultural Understanding of Human Rights. Beyond Eurocentrism. Retrieved from

https://bblearn.missouri.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-2894916-dt-content-rid-29444247_1/courses/FS2016.GERMAN.3510.01/Dealing%20With%20Human%20Rights%20Ch3.pdf

Elizabeth, L. (April 8, 2012). Ancient Wisdom for a Modern World: Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey at TEDxMaui. YouTube. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrmZUqcVdow

 

Post #4

Global warming is serious ongoing problem in the world. People who are in urban area might know about the problem but mostly they do not take it seriously since they never experienced. Currently, earth is losing its “fresh water-bank” every second due to global warming and it directly affects people who are leaving in the Arctic. Rapid climate change caused unbelievable breakdown of Inuit’s society in Arctic, where have the highest suicide rates in North America. Ice and snow are their highways that bring them out to the supermarkets and key environment which link them each other and to other society. Due to losing ice and snow, land scape has eroded, contaminated drinking water, the coastal losses and causing animal species extinction. Currently, many or marine species dependent on sea ice, including polar bears, birds, and walrus are declined. On December 7, 2005, 63 Inuit from Canada and Alaska filed a legal complaint to defend their culture and their way of life. The purpose was not asking for the world to take a complete economic backward step but using appropriate technologies that limit the pollution which causing Arctic melting.  Inuit people want to want to defend right of their culture, rights to lands traditionally used and occupied, and their rights to residence and movement (Moore, D.K., & Nelson, P, M. (2011).

Everyone in the world have a moral obligation to take action to protect the future of a planet in peril. It is not something can be solved in short time, since most people cannot live without technology.  However, people need to know the fact, that people living in Antarctic having pain and losing their home, because of technology that people live in the world. After Antarctic experienced pain and become refuges, then next refuges will be everyone in the world. Recognize problem and take it seriously will be the first step of a moral obligation.  Some developed countries have already taken a lead in implementing strategies for reduce carbon emissions, which is the main reason of greenhouse gas. For instance, the EU has implemented a successful carbon trading scheme used as a model by other nations. Indeed, the 2006 Stern Report proposed expanding the SU scheme to include as many countries as possible (Steger, 2009. P 95).

In New Zealand, there are five 350 organizations: Auckland, University of Auckland, Otago University, Christchurch, and University of Canterbury.  They exist to let people know about climate change, reason and solution. The name of 350 came from the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide. Currently, earth is at 400ppm which is above the safe upper limit. Acceleration of global warming and melting glaciers were due to exceeded level of carbon dioxide emission. Global warming is caused by releasing what are called greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.  Which generated by burning fossil fuels like coal and oil.  The 350 campaign focuses on making the connections between ones actions and climate change easier to understand so one can turn this around (350 Aotearoa).

In New Zealand, there are many environmental groups including Greenpeace, Clean Earth League, Wildlife Conservation Trust, and many other organization to preserve nature and animals. The biggest organization is the Environment and Conservation Organization of AOTEAROA New Zealand (ECO).  ECO is a network of over fifty large and small environmental organizations based all around New Zealand, as well as several hundred individual friends. The core of ECO’s work is promoting and strengthening community environmental action, and working collaboratively towards better government policies and management decisions. Eco also contributes on global issues such as climate change, Antarctica, and oceans.  Greenpeace is another active organization to protect nature in New Zealand, its main activities are preserve forests, defending oceans, agriculture and genetic engineering, eliminate toxic chemicals, and stop climate change. Greenpeace opposes the development and building of fossil fuel energy sources in New Zealand.  They also promoting Marine Reserves which are a scientifically developed and endorsed approach to redressing the crisis in New Zealand oceans which work alongside a range of other measures designed to ensure that the demands they make of their oceans are managed sustainably. Despite of many organization’s effort to preserve New Zealand’s nature, lately, New Zealand government refused to support international marine protection which was approved by massive margin. Which seems like the government chose to listen to the irrational arguments of a few fishing industry lobbyists rather than to the science and the 96 percent of New Zealanders who want more marine protection (Howe 2016).

 

Moore, D.K., & Nelson, P, M. (2011). The Inuit Right to Culture Based on Ice and Snow. Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril (25-29). San Antonio TX: Trinity University Press.

Climate Change. 350 AOTEAROA. Retrieved from

http://350.org.nz/about/about-climate-change/

Steger, M B. (2009). Globalization: A very short introduction. (2Ed.). Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press

What We Do. Environment and Conservation Organization of Aotearoa New Zealand. Retrieved from

http://www.eco.org.nz/what-we-do.html

What We Do. Greenpeace New Zealand. Retrieved from

http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/campaigns/oceans/

Howe, C. (2016, September 10). NZ Government refuses to support international marine protection. SCOOP politics. Retrieved from.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1609/S00115/nz-govt-refuses-to-support-international-marine-protection.htm

 

Post #3

Post #3

The 19^th century French Philologist Ernest Renan, described the “nation” as a “large-scale solidarity, constituted by the feeling of the sacrifices that one has made in the past and of those that one is prepared to make in the future. In New Zealand, national rugby team, ahead of a match, perform its traditional Maori dance, called “Haka”. It is a sequence of food-stomping, tongue-wagging and violent gesticulation by deep, rhythmic chanting. In New Zealand, the haka is a ritual and performed at  gatherings and celebrations. It build connection to generations of Maori ancestors that has endured despite invasion and colonization (Tharoor, 2015).

According to Zakaria (2009). When nationalism grows in the country, sub-nationalism is also growing. As power and belief become diversified and diffused ultimately it makes purposeful national action far more difficult (Zakaria, 2009.p 39).

Last March, the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) in New Zealand caused the largest protests in recent years. The TTP is an agreement of 12 countries led by the U.S., aims to cement Washington’s control over the Asia-Pacific region’s economy and reduce China’s influence. The organizers of the anti-TPP protests, however, support New Zealand’s alliance with U.S. imperialism and its army against China. They include the opposition labor party call ‘The Greens’, the anti-immigrants  New Zealand First, the two Maori nationalist parties, Mana and Maori party. These parities oppose the TPP because of fear it will weaken competitiveness of New Zealand business. Mana joined the New Zealand First in a xenophobic campaign toward Chinese immigrants and investors for New Zealand. The protest organizers encouraged Maori nationalism, pervasive form of identity politics for dividing working class along racial lines and shackle Maori workers to their ‘own’ capitalist class. To solve a problem against the TPP is a complete break with all forms of nationalism and identity politics including Maori nationalism which makes them to be divided workers and subordinate them to sections of the ruling class (peters, 2016).

In March 2014, Prime Minister John Key announced that the national flag no longer represented New Zealand. It is because the current flag evoked an older version of the nation when New Zealand was colonized. Key designer the new version of flag 70 percent of country were opposed to change. The reason politicians and artists have had low success with the idea of flag is the complicated relationship that New Zealanders have with nationalism. In New Zealand, until the 1970s, dominant culture were Britain, seeing itself as an agricultural hub. After decades, New Zealand began to develop its own distinct identity with immigrants from Pacific and Asian region, which become more multicultural. Expressions of nationalism are often drawn from the indigenous Maori cultures as a marker of uniqueness, but the purpose is to assimilate rather that to understand differences. Dissent over the flag change is due to the way it is seen as lacking of New Zealand’s authenticity. The debate has centered on the lack of designers on the panel deciding on the alternative flag, but it also exposes a deeper anxiety about what the real culture of New Zealand is.

According to Zakaria (2009). Growing inequality is the signature feature of the new era fueled by a triple force: the knowledge economy, information technology, and globalization (Zakaria, 2009. P 219).  In New Zealand, 60 percent of all wealth were held by top 10 percent wealthy people while poorest 40 percent only own 3 percent of wealth in the country.  The average household was worth $289,000, three in five households living in their own home with a median mortgage value of $172,000. According to Tertiary Education Union national secretary Sharn Riggs, student loans were contributing to growing inequality. Across ethnic groups, New Zealanders of European descent were the wealthiest, Asian New Zealanders were second wealthiest group, then Maori and poorest group is Pacific people (McCammon, 2016). According to Max Rashbrooke, if income gap keep grows, people cannot trust each other, they care about each other less and so they are less likely to extend a helping hand and feel like they have got something in common with everyone else.  One of study by the OECD suggests rising inequality was responsible for wiping a third off New Zealand’s economic growth in the past 30 years. It estimated the rate of New Zealand’s GDP growth was stunted by as much as 15.5 percentage points between 1990 and 2010, more than any other OECD economy (Fyers, A & Kirk, S. 2015).

 

Reference

YouTube. (2006, October 30). The Haka – New Zealand VS Tonga [Video file]. Retrieved From

https://youtu.be/8eGCsEQ15L4

Tharoor, I. (2015, September 21). New Zealand’s haka is the world’s most perfect act of nationalism. The Washington Post. Retrieved from

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/09/21/new-zealands-haka-is-the-worlds-most-perfect-act-of-nationalism/

Zakaria, F. (2009). The Post American World (Ed.). New York, NY 10110. W.W. Norton & Company, ICN.

Peters, T. (2016, March 10). New Zealand: Anti-TPP protests promote Maori nationalism. World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved from

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/03/10/nztp-m10.html

Fletcher, P. (2015, September 22). New Zealand’s flag and precarious nationalism. Aljazeera. Retrieved from.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/09/zealand-flag-precarious-nationalism-150915072737570.html

McCammon, B. (2016, June 28). 10% richest Kiwis own 60% of NZ’s Wealth. Radionz. Retrieved from

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/307458/10-percent-richest-kiwis-own-60-percent-of-nz’s-wealth

Fyers, A & Kirk, S. (2015, May 18). Income inequality : How NZ is one of the worst in the world. Stuff. Retrieved from

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/68600911/income-inequality-how-nz-is-one-of-the-worst-in-the-world

Post #2

Post 2

Language in New Zealand

New Zealand has three official languages: English, Maori and New Zealand Sign language. English is the most common language and it commonly used in the courts, in school and by the public sector. Maori and New Zealand Sign languages have special status under the law. People can use these language legally and Maori is also taught in most school in New Zealand. Due to many migrants, many other languages are now spoken. In New Zealand, 90 percent of people speak English, 3 percent speaks Maori, 2 percent speaks Samoan, 2percent speaks Hindi, and many other languages are around 1 percent.

The third largest Pacific group in New Zealand with over 60,000 people are Tongan. Half of Tongan speaks their own indigenous languages. According to Dr. Fonua-Faemani, many of Tongan people are in very high need. Most of New Zealand people does not speaks Tongan thus some of Tongan cannot communicate with doctors and having bad health conditions. She also mentioned that many New Zealand born youth are having problem with their language so it was up to older generations to help them feel comfortable at attempting Tongan. It is very important to carry on the traditional inheritance, as they are Tongan, and to learn New Zealand culture in the same time.

Recently, the New Zealand government announced an extension of Asian language programs in school to help meet the growing demand. Government would support to expand Asian language programs at 63 schools across the country. According to survey, New Zealanders were feeling more connected to and positive about Asia and think important to develop economic and cultural ties with the region.

UN, IMF and WTO

New Zealand was one of countries to sign the United Nation on 26 June 1945. Involvement in the UN encouraged New Zealand to move away from its traditional reliance on England and take independent foreign policy. New Zealand has been heavily involved with social and economic UN agencies such as: World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Additionally, New Zealand contributes to the six principal organizations of the UN:

1. The General Assembly: All member states of the UN meet to discuss international issues and make solutions. In 1957, Sir Leslie Munro was president of the General Assembly.
2. The Security Council: The Security Council’s job is to maintain international peace and security. It has 15 members, of whom 5 are permanent and 10 are elected. Over the last six decades New Zealand sent 2000 troops and two frigates to the Korean Peninsula in response to armed forces against North Korea. According to the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) says after New Zealand participated in the Korean War, it helped to construct security and peace in the Korean Peninsula.
3. The Economic and Social Council: promoting international economic and development.
4. The Trusteeship Council: to help territories that used to be colonized and to be independent. New Zealand strongly support Western Samoa to be independent in 1962.
5. The International Court of Justice: is the principal judicial organization of the UN
6. The Secretariat: carries out the day-to-day work of the UN.

Since August 31, 1961 New Zealand joined International Monetary Fund (IMF). Currently, IMF warned New Zealand’s low national saving levels and heavy reliance on offshore funding. The country’s foreign liabilities far exceed its assets, approximately 65 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. At the same time, rapid house inflation in Auckland is ongoing and recovery has waned due to fall in dairy prices and recover investment for damage from Canterbury earthquake. However, the IMF said that short-term recovery is challenging but economy is flexible and resilient, and medium-term prospects remain positive. Also, according to fiscal policy, IMF mentioned that the planned easing this year and next year, increasing in investment for infrastructure, resumption of gradual consolidation, then will be stabilized again. New Zealand, notwithstanding high level living standards, due to relatively low capital intensity and productivity, incomes lag those of other advanced economy countries.

New Zealand joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) since it started in 1995. The WTO set the global rules of trade. Its main function is to make sure that trade flows as smoothly and freely as possible between its members. Members can trade under WTO agreements, all have to be part of world trade negotiation and participate in Trade Policy Reviews. Currently New Zealand have the WTO agreement on agriculture. New Zealand is a member of the Cairns Group, Cairns Group countries span five continents and produce up a third of world’s agricultural exports. New Zealand also participating in set up rules on fisheries subsidies. Prohibiting harmful fisheries subsidies will bring significant benefits to New Zealand and Pacific nations.

 

 

Trade. New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved from

https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/our-work-with-the-wto/#nzwto

Rumney, R. (Feb 9^th, 2016). IMF urges New Zealand to reduce dependence on foreign funds. Public Finance International. Retrieved from

http://www.publicfinanceinternational.org/news/2016/02/imf-urges-new-zealand-reduce-dependence-foreign-funds

Participation in the United Nations. (Apr 20^th, 2016). New Zealand History. Retrieved from

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/page/further-information-new-zealand-and-the-united-nations

Pacific. (Sep 6^th, 2016). Tongan language week kicks off in NZ. Radionz. Retrieved from

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/pacific/312587/malo-e-lelei,-ton gan-language-week

Xinhua. (Aug 30^th, 2016). New Zealand expands Asian language teaching in schools. Global Times. Retrieved from

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1003674.shtml

The Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua. (2013). Top 25 Languages in New Zealand [Data file]. Retrieved from

http://ethniccommunities.govt.nz/story/top-25-languages-new-zealand

Woolf, AL. (Aug 20^th, 2015). Petition to make English an official language in New Zealand. Stuff. Retrieved from

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/71296013/Petition-to-make-English-an-official-language-in-New-Zealand