Media Release

17 October 2007

Children’s Commissioner wants child poverty addressed

Today, Children’s Commissioner Dr Cindy Kiro called for action to be taken to address the serious consequences of child poverty in New Zealand.

“Today is International Eradication of Poverty Day and it is important New Zealanders realise that poverty is severly affecting children in their own communities, in the worst instances contributing to risk factors that lead to the death of children,” Dr Kiro says.

“Poverty is one of the key contributors to poor outcomes for children and young people and in my work with community-based organisations around New Zealand, this is the message I am hearing increasingly.

“This is backed up by strong evidence that prolonged childhood poverty and deprivation, especially during a child’s early years, is associated with poor health and educational achivement, difficulties gaining employment, low earnings and productivity and an increase in the likelihood of criminal behaviour. These poor outcomes are not only harmful for the children affected, they are also costly for society.

“There is a clear link between poverty and child deaths by homicide or neglect. In the next year my office will be focusing on the impact of poverty on children and we will be calling on all political parties, in the lead up to the election, to advise us on their policies and plans to recognise the rights of New Zealand’s children and young people.

“While child poverty rates have been falling in New Zealand in recent years, they are still at an unacceptable level internationally, towards the bottom of the OECD countries. Government needs to address issues such as affordable and healthy housing options for families and supportive working environments for parents to reduce poverty, thus minimising the negative effects on babies, young children and young people.

“Some Government policy, such as Working for Families, is providing assistance to low-income working families. The Government predicts this will improve our OECD standing in relation to child poverty rates. While it will make a difference for some children, there is still a need for policies to protect the rights of other high-risk children at the lowest end of the socio-economic scale.

“Child poverty is a clear breach of the right to a standard of living adequate for physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development, which is one of the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCROC), to which New Zealand is a signatory.

“It is my job to ensure the rights of every child and young person in New Zealand are recognised and each enjoys good health, education, safety and economic well being.”

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