UNICEF NZ and the Office of the Children’s Commissioner were pleased to observe the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the most universally supported human rights treaty in history: the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNCROC@20NZ

Hosted by Her Excellency Lady Satyanand, the event brought together a group of people with a significant role in New Zealand’s involvement in the UNCROC Treaty and a group of young people who are rights holders under the Treaty.

Read Lady Satyanand's speech. on the Governor General's website.
View a photo-essay of the celebrations

The event was held at Government House, Auckland, on 20 November 2009

Guests:

Sir Donald and Lady McKinnon
Dr. Ian Hassall
Mr. Robert Ludbrook
Dr. John Angus
Mr. Dennis McKinlay
Ms. Patricia Woodley
Ms. Rosslyn Noonan
Hon. Roger McClay
Kruger Schaumkel  (MYD Youth Reference Group)
Arthur Hertwich, Reyne Hepi, Brylee Sharp, Hayley Gray (Correspondence School) with Joerg Hertwich, Desiree Andrews Upperton, Sandra Payne, Dawn Gray
ElijahAnderson, Elizabeth Greaves (Bruce McLaren Intermediate School) with Raymond Luke
James Whitney and Mackenzie Freeman, with Jacqueline Freeman (Remuera Intermediate School)



In attendance:

Barbara Lambourn, David Youngmeyer (UNICEF NZ) Mereana Ruri and Louisa Wall (OCC)

Apologies:

Ms Rae Julian - former Human Rights Commissioner
Hon. Fran Wilde
Dr Cindy Kiro - former Children's Commissioner
Dr Nikki Turner

VoiceS on UNCROC

Dennis McKinlay: Executive Director UNICEF NZ

The Convention is as relevant today as it was when adopted by the UN 20 years ago.

Almost every country in the world has ratified the Convention, making it the most universally-supported human rights treaty in history.

More than 70 countries have incorporated children’s codes into national legislation based on the Convention’s provisions, and awareness and advocacy on child protection issues have increased markedly in the past 20 years. “The Convention is significant, not only for children, but for all people across the world. Children’s needs and rights are integral to a healthy society. A world fit for children benefits everyone. However, there is still much to be done to advance children’s status.

While we celebrate the occasion, we have to be mindful of the work yet to be done towards every child in New Zealand and around the world having the best possible support to reach their full potential.

Dr John Angus Children’s Commissioner

 

Children’s rights and opinions are to be celebrated for enriching New Zealand society.

 

UNCROC is the first international human rights treaty setting out universal standards for children and young people. It protects children and young people and makes sure their voices are heard.

 

While children and young people have the same fundamental human rights as adults, UNCROC takes into account their vulnerability as a population group. It is important in ensuring children and young people’s best interests are not overlooked and are in fact, paramount when decisions are made that affect their health and wellbeing.

 

Children’s rights are not in conflict with the rights of adults in their lives. In fact, their rights to be listened to and taken seriously and to participate in the decision making process should be seen as important and enriching New Zealand society. It is ultimately their future that is most often affected by such decisions.

Robert Ludbrook: Child Rights Law Specialist

There is no doubt that the Convention has raised public awareness of the rights of children and has set benchmarks by which New Zealand’s laws, policies and practices can be measured. It means that our progress towards full compliance is monitored every three years by an international committee of experts. Much has been achieved in the 20 years since the Convention was adopted but much remains to be done before New Zealand fully meets the obligations undertaken on ratification.

Dr. Ian Hassall: New Zealand's first Children's Commissioner

The Convention is a remarkable document.

The Working Group of country representatives that produced it took ten years. Sometimes their discussion was intense as countries with rather different views on children’s place in the scheme of things disagreed on major and minor points.
And yet, the instrument that was finally agreed upon and adopted by the General Assembly is both high-minded and practical. It includes a comprehensive range of rights: of provision, protection, participation and place.

Any declaration is a product of its times. The 1925 League of Nations and the 1959 United Nations  declarations on children’s rights were brief and concerned themselves with rather general assertions of children’s right to be provided for and protected. The 1989 convention is much more specific and encompasses many more aspects of children’s lives from an obligation on States Parties to provide, within their means, for an adequate standard of living for children, to provision for substitute family in the event of loss of parental care.

If it were to be produced today a convention on children’s rights might well be less comprehensively and specifically supportive of children and those who work for their well-being. As it is, it is a beacon in a world that is often dangerous , particularly to children. We can be thankful that we have such a powerful statement of children’s rights that is so widely subscribe to by the nations of the world.

Rae Julian: former Chief Human Rights Commissioner

I am sorry that I will be unable to be with you at this very important function. I well remember the days when we were lobbying to get UNCROC signed and ratified - even before that time when I was in Geneva as a co-delegate with Robert Ludbrook at a Human Rights Education meeting. The UN was debating the clauses of the "Declaration" as it was then and we managed to attend some of those meetings as well.

Today as I am working in the Pacific for NZAID, I become very aware of the importance of the UNCROC and note that in many countries compliance, despite the hard work of UNICEF Pacific, is very low and children's voices are seldom heard. We are very fortunate here to have the Children's Commissioner and his office as well as strong NGOs such as UNICEF, Save the Children and the other members of the Every Child Counts Coalition to ensure that children's issues are always before the public.

 Cindy Kiro: former Children’s Commissioner

Our greatest challenge to the realisation of children's rights to remember on the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, is our attitude toward children. Many of us are still stuck in a welfare model in respect of children, or if they are lucky, we are prepared to 'develop' them. Realising the rights of children and young people is a challenge that is worthy of our efforts as parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, concerned citizens. It enriches all of us.

20 November 2009

Thanks to Government House, Ministry of Youth Development and the Correspondence School for their generous support.