Maori Women Confront Discrimination: Using International Human Rights Law to Challenge Discriminatory Practices

This article discusses internal and external discrimination faced by Maori women in New Zealand and processes in international law available to those who wish to challenge discriminatory laws and practices. A concise explanation of the pre-colonial and post- colonial interpersonal relationship of Maori women precedes the author's discussion of legal remedies to discriminatory practices, which focus on the Optional Protocol procedure and the Women's Committee in the context of the Mana Wahine Claim. The author concludes that it may be appropriate for Maori women to use international law processes to obtain an effective remedy against external discrimination. The article cautions, however, that international law processes are inappropriate to remedy internal discrimination. Internal discrimination is better remedied through complex processes involving a re-examination of Maori principles and practices from Maori women's perspectives.