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Children's Rights Report - UPR 3 (Aotearoa NZ) Released

19/7/2018

ACYA, together with Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), Save the Children and IHC have compiled a children’s rights report for New Zealand’s third Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The report will inform examination of New Zealand’s human rights progress during UPR 3, which is due to happen early 2019.
More information about the UPR process is available here:
https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/peace-rights-and-security/human-rights/universal-periodic-review-2019/

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to and supported this report.
Read Children's Rights Report - UPR 3 here.

ACYA Updates - February 2018

9/2/2018

Child Poverty Reduction Bill a watershed for children
The release of the draft legislation to reduce child poverty reduction has been described as a watershed moment for children and young people in Aotearoa NZ by ACYA’s Chairperson, Andrea Jamison. “Significantly it requires governments to develop a dedicated strategy to enhance and promote the wellbeing of all children”. The collective advocacy by many, including Dr Russell Wills the previous Children’s Commissioner, and our current Commissioner, Judge Andrew Becroft, lend significant weight to the benefits of a cross party agreement. ACYA has consistently argued for the need to plan for a long-term, sustained approach to reducing child poverty and enhancing living standards for all children. “The Bill reflects widespread collective support for initiatives that promote the rights and wellbeing of all children” says Andrea, "we have never been in a better position to create a society in which all children can thrive".
Read ACYA’s press release here.
Read the draft Bill here.
Read the OCC report on Solutions to Child Poverty here.

Putting children at the heart of decision-making: Budget Policy Statement 2017
ACYA took the opportunity to submit to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee on the Government’s Budget Policy Statement and draw attention to the priority recommendations made by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in their last report on Aotearoa NZ. Our key messages were that:
The Budget Policy Priorities are consistent with ACYA’s overarching recommendation to implement and embed UNCROC to protect and promote the wellbeing and inherent dignity of all children. This means:

Making sure children are consulted with and listened to in policy and budgetary decision-making. (An example of this is evident in the Oranga Tamariki changes where children’s views were taken into account throughout. Ministry of Education is now considering setting up a children and young people’s reference group);
Having consistent and complete data about children so we know and understand the issue to ensure that policy responses and public spending are effective;
Greater cohesion and co-ordination between legislation, policy and practice as well as across sectors and agencies;
Having universal and proportionally targeted responses so all children’s needs are met.

Read the ACYA Submission here.
Read the ACYA Submission Oral notes here.

Children’s sector meeting: Working together
The next Children’s sector meeting will take place on 27th February in Wellington. The focus will be on collaboration with a view to maximising our effectiveness. A brief report will follow in next month’s website note.
These meetings are part of ACYA’s strategy for 2018 where we plan to focus on engagement with our partners and build relationships with organisations who have an interest in children’s wellbeing.

Taking our issues to the world stage
This month, ACYA and CPAG are writing a joint submission on the International Covenant of Cultural, Economic and Social Rights (ICESCR). We will post our submission on the ICESCR once it has been approved by the Steering Committee. The submission is due on 5th February 2018.
The ICESCR can be found here.
The NZ Government Report and information about the reporting process can be found here.
If you want to contribute this submission, please contact urgently.
Later this year, ACYA will be participating in the Universal Periodic Review.

December ACYA Updates

20/12/2017

ACYA welcomes a cross-party accord to end child poverty
ACYA supported the Children’s Commissioner’s call for a cross-party accord to end child poverty. Taking a systematic approach to addressing child poverty, in particular for Māori and Pasifika children, and establishing a national definition of poverty was a priority recommendation of the UN last year, when New Zealand reported on progress under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. ACYA child poverty spokesperson, Dr Amanda D’Souza said “All the evidence tells us that having a good childhood is critical to positive life outcomes … right now, the daily life experiences of children throughout Aotearoa New Zealand are impacting, positively and negatively, on their wellbeing.
Read ACYA’s press release here

Getting it Right: a step in the right direction
Getting it Right, the first report from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Monitoring Group (UMG) marks a new era in realising children’s rights in Aotearoa New Zealand.
For too long, a significant proportion of children in Aotearoa NZ have been denied their rights to the same quality of life as their peers. As ACYA has reported many times, almost 25 years after the Children’s Convention was signed by New Zealand, the lack of understanding, awareness and implementation of the Convention at the highest level has impacted negatively on our children and young people.
ACYA’s most recent civil society, parallel report recommended that Aotearoa NZ implement the Children’s Convention to protect and promote the wellbeing and inherent dignity of all children through policy development, public spending and practices that

are underpinned by the general principles of non-discrimination, best interests, maximum development and participation
encourage data collection, research and monitoring of indicators to ensure well-informed decision making
give effect to the principles of proportionate universalism; and,
have a clear focus on prevention and equity.

ACYA believes child rights can, and should, underpin and guide Government’s understanding about, and response to the wellbeing and circumstances of all children in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Children’s Convention provides a common framework for discussing, developing and implementing policies aimed at improving outcomes for children. As a permanent member of the UMG, ACYA is fully supportive of the recommendations in Getting it Right.
Listen to Chairperson, Andrea Jamison interview here http://www.95bfm.com/bcast/cross-party-agreement-shock-and-horror

JR McKenzie Trust Oral Report
In early December, 2017 ACYA presented an oral report to the JR McKenzie Trust. Our reporting focus was on ACYA’s role in the UMG, building relationships within the children’s sector, and on how we are implementing our strategic plan. A benefit of the oral reporting process is meeting face-to-face with other recipients of the funding and the networking opportunities that generates. We are grateful to the JR McKenzie Trust for enabling us to undertake our work.
A summary of the key points can be accessed here.

Children’s sector meeting: Working together
As part of building and strengthening relationships within the children’s sector, ACYA and the Child Wellbeing Network hosted a meeting with major NGOs to discuss how we can work together to create and sustain our common interests in children’s rights to a happy, healthy and fulfilling childhood.
This meeting took place in mid-December and was well received. The group will meet again in late February to continue discussions about working together to present a coherent and coordinated approach which maximises our advocacy for children’s wellbeing.

ACYA’s Briefing to incoming ministers (BIM)
Letters and a BIM were sent to the Prime Minister and MPs whose portfolios concerned children and young people. We used this opportunity to introduce ACYA’s purpose and vision, and to propose that this government use children’s rights, based on UNCROC, to ensure a coherent and consistent approach to decision-making affecting children and young people.
We pointed out the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s Concluding Observations on New Zealand and highlighted their concerns that some children, particularly children with disabilities, Māori, Pacific and migrant and refugee children face significant barriers to the full enjoyment of their rights. ACYA recommends that Aotearoa NZ implements and embeds UNCROC to protect and promote the wellbeing and inherent dignity of all children. ACYA calls for:

a comprehensive plan to implement UNCROC and its’ two optional protocols
the establishment and resourcing of a permanent mechanism to co-ordinate UNCROC implementation.

The BIM can be found here.

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