The Children's Commissioner has a statutory role to advance and monitor the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
We are 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.
We do this by:
- promoting the implementation of the Convention in legislation and policy through our engagement with government agencies and submissions to select committees
- raising awareness of the Convention through all our work, and working with others to help children and young people understand the Convention and what it means for them
- monitoring the Government's implementation of the Convention by coordinating the Children's Convention Monitoring Group.
The Children's Convention Monitoring Group
The Monitoring Group monitors the New Zealand Government’s implementation of the Children’s Convention, it’s Optional Protocols and the Government’s response to recommendations from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
The Monitoring Group is convened by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and includes members from the Human Rights Commission, UNICEF New Zealand, Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa and Save the Children New Zealand.
In 2017 the Monitoring Group adopted a Terms of Reference. The Group meets regularly to monitor and review the progress made on implementing the Children’s Convention in New Zealand.
The Group also meets twice a year with the Children’s Convention Deputy Chief Executives Group who are the permament coordinating mechanism for the Convention to discuss how the Government is advancing the rights of children in line with the Children’s Convention. The Monitoring Group and the DCEs Group signed a Terms of Engagement (PDF, 300KB) in March 2018.
Public Reporting
The Getting it Right series of reports published by the Monitoring Group focus on legal and policy developments for children and young people in New Zealand and how those developments align with the Children’s Convention. The reports highlight progress related to children’s rights and identify where New Zealand can do better.
Getting It Right: Are We Listening? June 2019
Getting It Right: The Children’s Convention in Aotearoa November 2017
Getting It Right: Building Blocks April 2018
Quarterly Activity Reports
- July to September 2020
- April to June 2020
- January to March 2020
- October to December 2019
- July to September 2019
- April to June 2019
- January to March 2019
- October to December 2018
- July to September 2018
- April to June 2018
- January to March 2018
- October to December 2017
- July to September 2017
Child-centred decision-making
A key way to uphold children's rights under the Children's Convention is to consider the impact on children of policies and decisions, and to consult children on decisions that affect them. The Office provides support for other agencies seeking to become more child-centred. You can find out more under Listening2Kids section.
Getting It Right
The latest in the 'Getting It Right' series, Children's rights in the COVID-19 response outlines what has worked for children in the COVID-19 response over the last year and recommends ways to better implement children’s rights in laws, policies and practices.
