Report pinpoints children facing violence, poverty

By MIKE HOULAHAN

A United Nations committee will this week consider a report which says New Zealand needs to take urgent action to enhance the lives of its children.

Many children in New Zealand live happy and fulfilling lives, the Children and Youth in Aotearoa report says.

However, the less fortunate live in poverty and face violence and discrimination, issues the Government needs to urgently address, adds the Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa (ACYA) report.

A five-person delegation from ACYA - a coalition of non-governmental organisations and individuals interested in children's rights - will present the report to the UN committee on the rights of the child in Geneva on Thursday.

"For some kids, New Zealand is a wonderful place to grow up, but for many it's not," said ACYA chairwoman Dr Alison Blaiklock, a public health physician. "Many are really affected by violence, poverty and discrimination.

"The Government has [in the 2000 report to the UN, Children in New Zealand] emphasised what they see as progress and initiatives. Our concern is that when there are internationally comparable figures with similar countries, New Zealand stacks up poorly.

"We have a large gap between rich and poor, we have many children living in poverty, we have high rates of death from causes such as injury and Sids [sudden infant death syndrome].

"We have a large gap between children who do well in school and children who do poorly. We have a high rate of youth suicide, a high rate of teenage mothers and so forth. By what international comparisons there are, we could be doing a lot better."

Dr Blaiklock said the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - ratified by New Zealand in 1993 - was an international minimum for what countries should do for their children and young people.

The ACYA report and a meeting in Geneva in September between New Zealand officials and the UN committee were an opportunity to review how the country was doing, where the gaps were, and how the lives of young people could be improved, she added.

Most - but not all - New Zealand law complies with the convention.

New Zealand also has three reservations to the convention, concerning children who are not citizens or residents, protection of children in employment and the mixing of children and adults in prison.

The report says because of the reservations, an unknown number of immigrant children may not be attending school or receiving healthcare.

It also notes that there is no minimum age for employment, only limited protection for working children and that some children are still imprisoned with adults.

"This is a Government which has said it is committed to international agreements and it is multi-lateralist, so we hope the Government will take the recommendations that the United Nations committee on the rights of the child will make in October very seriously," said Dr Blaiklock.

Youth Affairs Minister John Tamihere said work was being done on all three reservations with the aim of removing them.

"Age-mixing in prisons happens because there are limited facilities for young people, but the Department of Corrections has a work programme to be completed over the next five years building youth facilities," he said. "This should lead to the reservation being removed."

Mr Tamihere said the Government had also requested reports on concerns that children unlawfully in New Zealand might not be getting adequate access to social services because of their immigration status.

"When these reports are completed the Government will consider what action it can take regarding this concern. The Government will be able to report progress on this to the UN in September."

He said results of studies into youth participation in the labour market, the impact of a minimum age of employment and other countries' experience in this area were pending, and the Government would also report the results of that work to the UN.

ACYA believes the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act needs to be amended urgently to extend its coverage to 17-year-olds.

"The convention says such legislation should provide special protection up to the 18th birthday," said Dr Blaiklock.

"The act provides some protection and we want to make sure it applies to 17-year-olds, who are still growing up really, as well as for those who are younger."

Recommendations

New Zealand remove its reservations to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Government prioritise implementing its Agenda for Children and Youth Development Strategy Aotearoa.

The Treaty of Waitangi be honoured so obligations to Maori children can be met.

The definition of a child be extended to include 17-year-olds.

Corporal punishment be banned.

Proposed Government policies be assessed for possible impact on children.

Children be assured a good quality, free and accessible education.

All legislation be reviewed to eliminate discrimination against children.

A process be set up whereby all proposed legislation is checked so it complies with the convention.

The Government ratify the optional protocol relating to child prostitution and pornography.

The Government extend the protection of the UN convention to the children of Tokelau.

- NZPA