Call for submissions on draft UN report on children's rights

Every five years, the New Zealand government reports to the United Nations about how New Zealand has implemented the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (the Children's Convention). The Children's Convention set outs universal rights for children and young people worldwide, overseen by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. 

MSD has published the Sixth Periodic Report by the Government of New Zealand 2021 on the Children's Convention. MSD is now inviting feedback from the public, including children and young people, and well as stakeholders who advocate for the rights of children and young people.

The closing date to make a submission is 31 August 2021.

The draft report set outs the government's responses to the UN Committee's List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR). This list asks the Government to detail actions taken to implement the Children's Convention and to address recommendations from the previous reporting period. MSD has also published an Overview of issues covered in the Draft Report.

MSD welcomes submissions from:

• children and young people
• forums that operate on behalf of children and young people
• iwi and Māori engagement forums, particularly those that work with tamariki and rangatahi Māori
• parents
• interested individuals
• experts
• non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• professionals who work with children.

You can give feedback through:

• an online survey
• send written feedback by email to uncroc@msd.govt.nz
• send written feedback by post to Children’s Convention Survey, PO Box 1556, Wellington 6140.

The draft report is available in alternate formats on the MSD website.

See our related news stories below for information about the previous reporting period.

Related information

The Office of the Children's Commissioner (OCC) is responsible for raising awareness and understanding of the Children's Convention and advancing and monitoring how the Government applies the Convention to improve outcomes for children. The OCC coordinates the Children's Convention Monitoring Group. The Monitoring Group has published a series of reports on Getting it Right.

In 2019 the Government launched the Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy and a Programme of Action was also published which sets out the policies, initiatives, programmes and plans the Government will deliver over the next 1-5 years, to achieve the vision and outcomes of the Strategy. 

Related news

The Education Review Office (ERO) published the report Learning in residential care: They knew I wanted to learn in July 2021. In their media release, the Education Review Office said "...that education for children and young people living in Oranga Tamariki residential care facilities is not good enough." 

Also in July, the ERO published Te Kura Huanui: The treasures of successful pathways, a report highlighting the success of Māori medium education in achieving outstanding educational outcomes for Māori. 

In an interview with E-Tangata, Justice Joe Williams talks about the way in which te Kōhanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Māori and Ngā Kura ā Iwi have transformed not only educational outcomes but also social outcomes for Māori:

“The causal connection between kura, kōhanga, wānanga and all of that, and the fall-off in Māori incarceration and Māori removals is, in my view, direct. We know we can make this work because we actually have.”