UNICEF supports new proposals on child abuse

UNICEF welcomes changes to the Crimes Act that will bring more accountability to adults aware of maltreatment of children, announced by Minister of Justice Simon Power yesterday.

The measures announced are designed to send a message that society needs to protect children from assault, neglect and ill-treatment. They include the creation of a new offence of failing to protect a child from abuse, which can mean that family members or people closely connected to that child can be convicted.

Commenting on the new measures, Dennis McKinlay, Executive Director at UNICEF NZ (UN Children’s Fund) said, “We applaud these steps taken by the Minister of Justice to safe-guard the rights of our most vulnerable citizens. New Zealand has a terrible track record on child abuse and our children need stringent laws to ensure their protection and to make adults accountable for their actions.

“We will be watching closely as to how these laws are developed, particularly in terms of the wording around the penalties for failing to protect a child from abuse.

“However, we do need to recognise that these measures focus on the abuse after it has occurred. While we applaud the change to the law, and the intent of the change, the best protection for children is preventative measures. Investment needs to be made in support mechanisms that ensure children are the key focus when abuse happens.

“Often children have no voice and it is was a major set-back that the government withdrew funding recently for the community based child advocates, who were solely focused on the best interests of the child. The child advocates programme was established because government recognised that children needed a dedicated resource when family violence was reported. This need hasn’t changed.

“In addressing child abuse, children must come first. Too often we have seen children’s needs overlooked and too often it results in tragedy. These new measures are a step in the right direction but ultimately our approach needs to be preventative as well as reactive”.