Partners and progress

Working with Immigration New Zealand (INZ)

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) aims to support meaningful refugee participation through funding, partnering, and engagement with the NZRAP. As the lead government agency responsible for the coordination and delivery of the New Zealand Refugee Resettlement Strategy, INZ will promote and champion the role of the NZRAP within its own work and, where possible, within other government agencies. INZ will proactively provide opportunities to the NZRAP for meaningful engagement on key policy issues and include NZRAP in policy-related spaces to ensure that these discussions and decisions are well informed by the NZRAP perspectives and expertise; this includes the planning and development of policy design.

The NZRAP currently holds quarterly meetings with the Associate Minister of Immigration and meetings with the Refugee and Migrant Services team every four weeks. The NZRAP also engages with other branches of MBIE and Ministries as relevant to their specific workstreams.

Working with the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies (CAPRS)

To strengthen the effectiveness of the NZRAP’s advisory function they are supported by CAPRS for secretariat services. Partnership with CAPRS as an academic institution ensures the NZRAP is resourced in terms of national and international research and policy. As a key NZRAP partner, CAPRS collaborates with the NZRAP to provide the resourcing and policy knowledge transfer as required. Additionally, CAPRS provides training and mentorship and facilitates professional development for the NZRAP.

The inaugural NZRAP members have been working on the foundational structure of the NZRAP, including its governance, operational practices and terms of engagement. Members have also engaged in various national and international activities and events. You can read more about each of these throughout this website.

At the March 2024 hui, the NZRAP outlined two thematic areas for their work programme. These are Meaningful Refugee Participation and Effective Settlement.

The NZRAP is functional in organisational structure. Their work is divided into specific groups (sub-committees and workstreams) with specific roles and duties. The there main Sub- Committees (SC) are Governance and Coordination (GCSC), Communications and Visibility (CVSC), Policy and Research (PRSC). All SCs and workstream teams are non-hierarchical in structure.

Why was a Refugee Advisory Panel established?

The Refugee Advisory Panel was established to provide New Zealand’s refugee community the ability to have a strong voice on matters that directly affect them. The Panel is a forum for refugees to have meaningful participation in the development of policies and strategies.

While there are many organisations that support refugees to achieve resettlement outcomes, there is no clear and effective forum for refugees to share their experiences, perspectives and collective voice with those in government agencies responsible for developing and delivering refugee policy. To address this, in 2022, R-SEAT and an interim advisory group worked in partnership with CAPRS and INZ to establish a Panel to empower New Zealand’s refugee community to influence government decision-makers and policy developers to deliver better outcomes for refugees.

What makes the Panel different to other national refugee organisations?

• The Panel will be a sustainable engagement model that is inclusive and ensures community perspectives are reflected in the decision-making stage of policy development.
• The Panel will complement and will collaborate with other national refugee bodies to ensure transparency and communication of refugee interests are voiced at the national level.
• The Panel will support the inclusion of former refugees in relevant New Zealand Government delegations in refugee-related multilateral settings. These settings may include the UNHCR Executive Committee Meetings, Global Refugee Forum (GRF), High Level Official Meetings, and the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR). The Panel would support New Zealand's engagement in the Asia Pacific region and align with the Global Compact on Refugee (GCR) pledges.
• Partnership with CAPRS as an academic institution will ensure the Panel is well resourced in terms of national and international research and policy. As a key Panel partner, CAPRS will collaborate with Panel members to provide the resourcing and policy knowledge transfer as required. Additionally, CAPRS will provide training, mentorship and facilitate professional development for the Panel.
  

Why is it important for refugees to have a say in government policy?

• Ensuring meaningful refugee participation practices at the national level means refugees and former refugees are well positioned to contribute to and shape effective and legitimate processes to the policies that affect their lives. Design and delivery of programming will be enhanced by drawing on the expertise of their lived experience.
• It is common practice to utilise subject matter experts when developing policy and strategies, and in this context our refugee and migrant communities hold a level of knowledge and experience that should be considered.