Day 2 of Aotearoa New Zealand at the Committee & where you can watch proceedings
On day 2 of New Zealand’s 6th Periodic Review session at the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, 27 January 2023, Palais Wilson, Geneva - pictured left to right back row: Jacqui Southey, Save the Children; Children’s Rights Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand; Dr Claire Achmad, Children’s Rights Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand; Professor Ann Skelton, Member, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; Andrea Jamison, Children’s Rights Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand; Fiona Cassidy, Office of the Children’s Commissioner. Front row L to R: Jaimee Paenga, New Zealand Human Rights Commission; Judge Frances Eivers, Children’s Commissioner.
Day 2 of proceedings at the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child saw the New Zealand government delegation engage in another constructive dialogue with the Committee members.
A wide range of areas of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child were discussed, including health, education, the minimum age of criminal responsibility, and child participation.
You can watch both the Day 1 and Day 2 sessions of the Review online via UN TV’s website. Day 1 is available here, and Day 2 is available here. We have heard from many Alliance members that they have found it really worthwhile to watch the recordings.
It was valuable for the Alliance to be represented in the room again on Day 2, on behalf of Aotearoa New Zealand civil society. This enabled us to hear directly in real time from the Government delegation, and to advocate to the Committee members about the situation of children and their rights in our country.
Following on from the Review, the UN Committee publishes ‘Concluding Observations’ in relation to New Zealand - a set of recommendations to the Government about the further steps it needs to take to protect, respect and fulfill children’s rights in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Alliance - together with other members of the Children’s Convention Monitoring Group - will work with the Government back in New Zealand to focus on what the Concluding Observations mean in practice - and we will advocate to the Government for their implementation.
Above: Government and civil society representing Aotearoa New Zealand at the UN. Chappie Te Kani, Te Tumu Whakarae Chief Executive, Oranga Tamariki, together with Dr Claire Achmad, Deputy Chair of the Children’s Rights Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand.
We have been heartened by the way in which the Alliance has been heard during this process by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the seriousness with which the perspectives and views of civil society organisations are taken within the UN human rights treaty body system. While the work of the UN in Geneva can certainly seem very far away from our beautiful islands, being on the ground in Geneva has demonstrated to us that there are experts from around the world both interested in the situation of children’s rights in New Zealand, and committed to supporting our country to get children’s rights, right.
It has also been a great chance to work alongside our National Human Rights Institution colleagues from the Human Rights Commission, and our Children’s Commissioner and her team. While these organisations are separate to civil society, we work closely together in many instances to amplify and reinforce each others positions on advancing and protecting children’s rights in Aotearoa New Zealand. As fellow members of the Children’s Convention Monitoring Group, we will also be working closely together once back in Aotearoa New Zealand to hold the government to account for implementing the Concluding Observations.
Following on from the Concluding Observations being published, the Alliance will create space to meet with our members and friends to report back on the process and to discuss what the UN Committee recommends to New Zealand.
Connecting with international colleagues at the UN - Andy, Jacqui and Claire pictured alongside Justice Vui Clarence Nelson of Samoa, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (at front); Fiona Cassidy, Office of the Children’s Commissioner (at front); and Bruce Adamson, Scottish Children and Young People’s Commissioner (and fellow Kiwi!).