Korowai Whaimana
In 2002, the Human Rights Commission asked the National Advisory Group to the Like Minds project how best to support people with experience of mental illness to know and advocate for their rights under the Human Rights Act 1993.

As a result, a training resource and workshop guide entitled "Korowai Whaimana" was developed.
The resource was developed through a partnership between the National Advisory Group, Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Health and Goldsack Consulting.

"Korowai Whaimana" means the ‘The Empowering Cloak’. Education is a vehicle for restoring mana and, in Māori terms, the cloak is the veil of understanding that gives you the power to act. The restoration of mana from violations of human rights is paramount.

"Korowai Whaimana" is a one-day training workshop run by people with experience of mental illness that aims to enable others who have experience of mental illness to understand the Human Rights Act 1993 in order to improve their access to employment, education, goods and services, accommodation and public places and facilities, thereby increasing their opportunities to gain equity with other members of society.

The workshop covers information relating to areas of unlawful discrimination, such as employment, housing, gaining insurance, parenting, education and access to goods and services (for example mortgages), which often are denied to individuals for no clear reason other than their experience of mental illness, whether current, historic or assumed.

Examples, comments and advice from those who have experienced discrimination, as well as those who have taken a complaint under the Human Rights Act, are included in the resource.

For more information on the Human Rights Act 1993, go to Features and Articles

To find out about workshops in your area contact the Human Rights Commission.