Our Work in Aotearoa
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Our Work in Aotearoa
A brighter future for tamariki
Not all tamariki get to experience the amazing things Aotearoa has to offer.
It’s a great place to grow up, but poverty, limited access to education and healthcare, and the effects of climate change are hitting our most vulnerable children hard.
Putting children first is at the core of what we do at UNICEF. That’s why we’re working with community groups, businesses and schools to raise awareness about child rights in New Zealand.
UNICEF Aotearoa advocates to government, collaborates with hapori Māori and the wider child rights sector to protect children's rights and provide a space for their voices to be heard.
Together, let's empower tamariki and rangatahi voices, igniting change for a better Aotearoa
Children's Rights
Did you know that each and every child has 42 fundamental rights?
These rights include a safe and warm home, nutritious food, quality education, and a fair justice system. They apply to every child, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, or religion.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child outlines these rights for children aged zero to 18 years, and recognises the responsibility of caregivers and communities to protect these rights.
New Zealand is a proud signatory of the Convention that has sparked some serious transformations around the globe. The New Zealand Government is the primary duty bearer under the Convention, which means they have to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of all children in Aotearoa.
Through the advocacy of children's rights groups including UNICEF, governments have been motivated to revamp their laws, policies, and invest more to ensure that all tamariki receive proper healthcare and nutrition for their growth and survival.
ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN
We advocate for policies to promote and uphold children’s rights in Aotearoa. Throughout our advocacy, we emphasise children’s right to be heard on issues that affect them (Article 12 of the Convention), and the importance of honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
What we focus on
Our advocacy covers a wide range of children’s rights issues and is currently focussed in three key areas: climate action, social protection, and mental health and wellbeing.
A climate-safe future
We are advocating for decision-makers to take strong action to ensure children Aotearoa, the Pacific and all around the world can look forward to climate-safe futures.
Reducing emissions, protecting children from the impacts of climate change and prioritising child health and wellbeing in climate policy are critical to address the changing climate and its impact on children everywhere.
In 2025 we launched our climate change call to action for all decision-makers in Aotearoa: read all about it here.
The best start in life
We advocate for decisions that ensure all children in Aotearoa have what they need to grow up well. This means a focus on secure incomes for all families, safe and affordable housing, good nutrition, and access to quality healthcare and education.
This means focussing on issues like poverty, poor housing and food insecurity.
Good mental health and wellbeing
Positive mental health means better life outcomes for children.
To achieve this, we advocate for investment in mental health services and supports for all children, increased accessibility to services and concerted action to reduce inequities in mental health outcomes.
One of the key ways that UNICEF Aotearoa advocates for change is through submissions on government policy and law proposals which will impact children's rights whether in education, climate change, or Te Tiriti o Waitangi. You can read all of our submissions here.
Empowering Communities
To make a real difference for tamariki in Aotearoa, we believe in the power of partnerships.
We create meaningful change together by collaborating with community groups, NGOs, businesses, and advocating to local and central government. UNICEF Aotearoa is a member of the Children's Convention Monitoring Group that holds the Government to account for implementing the Convention as well as Are Taiohi, the peak body for youth development in New Zealand.
We work with organisations in the child rights sector to strengthen our impact and achieve greater outcomes for tamariki in Aotearoa. We support NGO’s, community groups and champions who are making a positive difference for children with support and resources.
Maximising Impact
We're upholding the rights of children by working at policy and systems levels.
By acknowledging the root causes of issues we’re creating a future where children's rights are embedded in laws, regulations, and practices.
UNICEF's Innocenti research centre provides us with worldwide expertise in policy development. We’ll combine our global knowledge with local experience and work with iwi to include mātauranga Māori in our advocacy efforts.
We kōreroreo with Iwi and Pacifica communities and support them in achieving fair outcomes. Through respectful and inclusive engagement, we hope to enhance the mana of these communities.
Through our policy work, we can create lasting change for generations to come and build a society where child rights are fully respected and defended!
Young Ambassador Programme
In 2023, UNICEF Aotearoa launched a dedicated Young Ambassador programme to promote youth advocacy in New Zealand.
Young Ambassadors engage in advocacy activities across the motu and around the world as part of our global whānau. This programme creates an accessible and meaningful path for rangatahi to champion their internationally recognised rights here in Aotearoa. UNICEF Aotearoa Young Ambassadors play a critical role in shaping our advocacy priorities and engaging with policy and decision-makers on behalf of rangatahi and tamariki around the country. Read more about our programme here
World Children’s Day
Every year on the 20th of November we celebrate World Children’s Day, when the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted in 1989. Kids around the world come together to discuss important issues like climate change, mental health and discrimination.
In 2024 and 2025 UNICEF Aotearoa has marked World Children’s Day with the Parliamentary Forum for Children’s Rights, taking children and young people’s voices to the heart of decision-making in Aotearoa. The Forum is a non-partisan event which shines a spotlight on issues that matter to tamariki and rangatahi and provides a platform for them to exchange perspectives with MPs, sparking ideas and discussion for ways to make progress on children’s rights and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
Check out some of the videos from the Parliamentary Forum here
Strengthening networks for change
UNICEF Aotearoa's Changemakers Programme is all about empowering tamariki and rangatahi to take action in their communities. Whether you’re part of a school, a club, or going solo, this is your chance to make a real difference.
We’ve got a growing network of schools and clubs across Aotearoa, and individuals looking to kickstart their advocacy journey are welcome too! Whether you’re fundraising, campaigning, or getting creative with your ideas, you’ll be part of a global movement making an impact both locally and worldwide.
When you join our Changemakers community, you’re not just signing up – you’re stepping up. Stay connected with the latest from UNICEF, access tools to amplify your voice, and work alongside others to drive change. Craft your profile, dive into activities, or link up with a club near you.
Join now and start making your mark!
Children championing their own rights
Educating children about their rights gives them the power to influence the issues that matter most to them. We advocate for policies that align with child rights and give rangatahi opportunities for their voices to be heard.
We’re committed to empowering tamariki to become champions of their own rights, so we’ve developed a range of teaching resources and toolkits that are available via our Resource Hub.
These resources have been translated into Te Reo Māori, Samoan, and Tongan.
In 2026 we’ll be launching new children’s rights resources in collaboration with Twinkl to enable teachers, children and young people around Aotearoa to easily access more information and resources on children’s rights.