Latest news with #ClaireAchmad
Scoop
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Law Change Better Protecting Children's Rights In Sexual Violence Cases Welcomed
Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad says legislation passed last night to strengthen protections for young victims of sexual violence is a step in the right direction. The Victims of Sexual Violence Bill amends the law so that children under the age of 12 cannot be questioned about whether they consented to sex. 'It was wrong that this provision was still in our law, so I'm pleased the Government led work to change this. It's positive too, that there was support from many parties across Parliament for this change. When it comes to children and their rights, the best thing the Government and Parliament can do is to work together, putting children first. This is a good example of this,' says Dr Achmad. The Chief Children's Commissioner says that better protections for victims of sexual violence have been a long time coming. 'I've had the privilege of meeting with children and young people throughout New Zealand who are victim-survivors of sexual violence, and they talk to me about the systemic change that's needed to protect their rights and help them heal. 'While there's still much more to do, so that no child experiences sexual violence of any form, I strongly welcome the changes passed last night. They are important steps towards strengthening the rights of children and young people in court processes. 'I acknowledge the immense courage of victims, especially mokopuna survivors of sexual assault, who shared their lived experience to help shape the legislation,' she says. 'The changes to the law that recognise that mokopuna cannot consent to abuse, and that they should not be questioned or challenged about whether they consented to sex, are crucial to keeping them safe from re-traumatisation.' In its submission to Parliament on the Bill, Mana Mokopuna – Children and Young People's Commission supported the Bill's overarching goal to amend the Crimes Act 1961 to give victim survivors of sexual assault more agency in court processes. 'I also advocated for stronger protections for mokopuna aged 12-16 years in these court processes, and training and education for the legal sector and judiciary to ensure they apply the legislation as intended,' says Dr Achmad. 'I hope that the changes passed last night signal continued commitment and action to recognise the rights and wellbeing of children and young people in all court processes affecting them. 'Supporting mokopuna to have agency in these processes and to be recognised as the children that they are is so important – both upholding their rights and in ensuring they can begin their healing journey,' she says.
RNZ News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
'We were the silent victim' - children with parents in prison form new panel to help kids
Pillars youth panel Ngā Rangitira Apōpō pictured with Minister for Children Karen Chhour and Chief Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad. Photo: RNZ / Lillian Hanly Rangatahi impacted by a parent in prison say more needs to be done to ensure they are not punished for the crimes of their family members. They have formed a youth advisory panel - Ngā Rangatira Mō Apōpō - which met with Children's Minister Karen Chhour on the steps of Parliament. They handed her an open letter calling for the establishment of a whānau navigator role in criminal district courts to help those left behind when someone is sent to jail. About 20,000 children are impacted by whānau incarceration in Aotearoa. Children who - while they have done nothing wrong - are nonetheless punished. Courtney is one of them. "Me and my siblings lost both of our parents in the justice system at the same time and we didn't know till my older sister got a very unfortunate call from my family's lawyers and after that, our Nana was left in charge of us four kids. "We didn't have any support, we were left in the dark, we didn't even get to call our mum or dad or see them for ages." Four children's lives turned upside down. Pillars chief executive Tuhi Leef and Youth panelist Courtney. Photo: RNZ / Louise Ternouth Courtney is part of the Ngā Rangatira Mō Apōpō youth advisory panel run by Pillars, which gathered at parliament asking the government to do more to help those like her family. She said the rangatahi felt while their parents broke the law, it was not fair they were made to suffer due to uncertainty and a lack of support. "All the stories on that panel, all our backgrounds, it's all different, but we all can agree that we were the silent victim and it was horrible not knowing what was happening. "We all have forgotten what our parents looked like or what their voices sound like because of some lack of communication, yeah, I don't want that for anyone else." The letter presented to Chhour makes the case for a whānau navigator role in criminal district courts. Whānau navigators would help families to access wrap around services, and ensure they are informed of their rights around prison visits and communication with their whānau member in detention. Minister of Children Karen Chhour gathers with rangatahi impacted by a parent in prison at parliament. Photo: RNZ / Lillian Hanly A similar 'kaiarahi' role has been established in the Family Court and Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court. The panel is being supported by the group Pillars, which helps children and whānau of prisoners. Researcher and youth advocate Corrina Thompson said it was essential a whānau navigator was in place as soon as someone entered the judicial system. "Far too often, children are largely invisible from the point of arrest, right through court proceedings, through to prison and sometimes it's not until the person arrives in prison that the fact that that person is a parent with children is even known. "That point between a first appearance in court and prison can actually be a really long time for a lot of people months, in some cases years." Thompson noted that the government's tough-on-crime approach also impacted innocent families of offenders. "There is not just here in New Zealand, but internationally very strong evidence to say that if we want to get tough on crime, we have to get strong on housing, strong on support, strong on culturally responsive intervention prevention, rehabilitation not being tough or soft on people." Rangatira Mō Apōpō youth panel gather on parliament's steps to advocate for justice reform. Photo: Supplied / Pillars If there is government support for the proposal, Pillars and the youth panel are hoping a two-year pilot can be rolled out at district courts. Chief Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad has added her support to the idea. "Children with parents and whānau who are in prison they should be supported to fulfil their full potential and have all of their rights and needs met. "This particular advocacy and idea that Ngā Rangitira Mō Apōpō has brought forth is a tangible way for us to make these children visible and I really want to see the government take it forward and implement it in action." The Ngā Rangatira Mō Apōpō panel pitched a similar idea in 2022, which they said received support in principle from the previous Labour government. As for Wednesday's proposal, Chhour said it was still early days. "I'm not going to make any commitments to supporting the changes what I'm saying is, that I've met with them I've spoken with them... and there's room to have conversations about what that could look like." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
23-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Commissioner backs proposed youth hub
A proposed central Dunedin youth hub has been given the tick of approval by the Chief Children's Commissioner, who says it would be a "game-changer" for offering support services to the city's young people. Dr Claire Achmad was in Dunedin yesterday as a guest speaker at the "Lighting the Fire" Child, Youth Mental Health and Addictions Conference, hosted by Mirror Services in the Glenroy Auditorium. The child and youth mental health, addictions and social services provider is among those who submitted on the Dunedin City Council's 2025-34 long-term plan. In its submission, director Deb Fraser-Komene said they were advocating for "significant investment and support" to establish a youth hub for Dunedin. "This initiative is vital to ensuring that all rangatahi in Ōtepoti have the opportunity to lead healthy, safe, and valued lives, enabling them to fulfil their potential and contribute positively to their communities." It requested $30,000 of funding per annum over nine years. After her address, Dr Achmad said everywhere she went around the country she was told by mokopuna (descendants) about the importance of youth-focused spaces that could give them a place to be themselves. "And so that's why I'm so pleased to hear about the development of the hub here in Otepoti. "I think that will really be a game-changer in terms of creating some of those spaces." She encouraged the mokopuna of Otago to "continue to be bold" in making their voices heard on the matters and decisions that affected their lives. "This is their world, it is their community, and it is only right that they should have a say." Mrs Fraser-Komene said support from the council would be important to help launch the project. It would be "designed by youth and for youth" and have multi-agency involvement with a social housing function, she said. Charity organisation Tamariki Together (T&T) announced in January its own plans to open a new two-storey headquarters in St Andrew St in June. Founder and director Tanga Tiatoa said at the time its top floor, to be known as "K-Block", was planned to host a hub where youth leaders could engage with participants aged from 8 to 24 on a one-on-one basis or in small groups. The ground floor would welcome any of Dunedin's youth, including those at the city's bus hub, Mr Tiatoa said. T&T recently received $85,000 from the Lottery Grants Board to help develop its venue.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Children And Families In Poverty Let Down By Today's Budget
Press Release – Mana Mokopuna Looking at Budget 2025, I dont see the investment thats needed to significantly reduce, and ultimately pave the way to ending child poverty,' says Chief Childrens Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. Budget 2025 doesn't address the urgent needs of many of our country's children and young people facing the greatest disadvantage, says Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. 'Budget decisions have a direct and significant impact on our country's 1.2 million mokopuna – nearly quarter of our population – and on their families and whānau. The decisions made in the Budget are an opportunity to ensure children and young people facing disadvantage are invested in, so they can flourish. 'Looking at Budget 2025, I don't see the investment that's needed to significantly reduce, and ultimately pave the way to ending child poverty. For example, how will this Budget significantly help the 156,000 children in our communities who are living in material hardship? 'Today, I repeat my call that is becoming increasingly urgent: the Government must make ending child poverty a project of national significance, working across the Parliament, so real, meaningful change in children's lives is supported and sustained, now and into the future. Today's Budget is a missed opportunity for the Government to show that bold leadership, so that children today don't grow up in poverty, meaning better lives both today and tomorrow. 'The reality is that right now, we are continuing to let children down on the most basic things: having enough healthy food, safe and healthy housing, and their physical and mental health. For mokopuna Māori, as well as mokopuna whaikaha and Pacific mokopuna, the impacts of things like food insecurity are even more extreme. From a children's rights perspective, Budget 2025 does not play the part it needed to, so that all children in our country are growing up thriving with an adequate standard of living. This is basic stuff that we can't afford to keep letting children and families down on.' The Chief Children's Commissioner notes that the Government's social investment fund does provide opportunities to invest in children, young people and families especially those in the most complex circumstances. 'I welcome the focus on mokopuna and families in the social investment three pilots that have been announced. I'm keen to understand how these pilots will be evaluated, so their impact will be well understood. Alongside this, I emphasise the urgency of the need for real, practical action and investment now across the three priority areas outlined in the Government's own Child and Youth Strategy: support for children and families in the first 2000 days of children's lives, reducing material hardship affecting children, and preventing harm. 'I acknowledge the crucial role that education plays in children and young people's lives, so I am pleased to see that the Budget places a significant focus on education. My team and I will be taking some time to dig into the detail of the Budget's education initiatives, especially relating to learning support. I also want to understand more detail about the changes to the Jobseeker Benefit, in particular about how this might impact on children and young people who have been in or who are in State care and/or custody. 'As their independent advocate, I hear directly from children and young people about what matters most in their world,' says Dr Achmad. 'They want to have their basic needs met – to have a warm, safe, dry home to grow up in, and enough food for their family. Young people want to be involved in decision-making about their own future. As one mokopuna told me recently: 'We, too, are concerned about what goes on in our world, especially our country. What happens now WILL affect our future.'
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Children And Families In Poverty Let Down By Today's Budget
Press Release – Mana Mokopuna Looking at Budget 2025, I dont see the investment thats needed to significantly reduce, and ultimately pave the way to ending child poverty,' says Chief Childrens Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. Budget 2025 doesn't address the urgent needs of many of our country's children and young people facing the greatest disadvantage, says Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. 'Budget decisions have a direct and significant impact on our country's 1.2 million mokopuna – nearly quarter of our population – and on their families and whānau. The decisions made in the Budget are an opportunity to ensure children and young people facing disadvantage are invested in, so they can flourish. 'Looking at Budget 2025, I don't see the investment that's needed to significantly reduce, and ultimately pave the way to ending child poverty. For example, how will this Budget significantly help the 156,000 children in our communities who are living in material hardship? 'Today, I repeat my call that is becoming increasingly urgent: the Government must make ending child poverty a project of national significance, working across the Parliament, so real, meaningful change in children's lives is supported and sustained, now and into the future. Today's Budget is a missed opportunity for the Government to show that bold leadership, so that children today don't grow up in poverty, meaning better lives both today and tomorrow. 'The reality is that right now, we are continuing to let children down on the most basic things: having enough healthy food, safe and healthy housing, and their physical and mental health. For mokopuna Māori, as well as mokopuna whaikaha and Pacific mokopuna, the impacts of things like food insecurity are even more extreme. From a children's rights perspective, Budget 2025 does not play the part it needed to, so that all children in our country are growing up thriving with an adequate standard of living. This is basic stuff that we can't afford to keep letting children and families down on.' The Chief Children's Commissioner notes that the Government's social investment fund does provide opportunities to invest in children, young people and families especially those in the most complex circumstances. 'I welcome the focus on mokopuna and families in the social investment three pilots that have been announced. I'm keen to understand how these pilots will be evaluated, so their impact will be well understood. Alongside this, I emphasise the urgency of the need for real, practical action and investment now across the three priority areas outlined in the Government's own Child and Youth Strategy: support for children and families in the first 2000 days of children's lives, reducing material hardship affecting children, and preventing harm. 'I acknowledge the crucial role that education plays in children and young people's lives, so I am pleased to see that the Budget places a significant focus on education. My team and I will be taking some time to dig into the detail of the Budget's education initiatives, especially relating to learning support. I also want to understand more detail about the changes to the Jobseeker Benefit, in particular about how this might impact on children and young people who have been in or who are in State care and/or custody. 'As their independent advocate, I hear directly from children and young people about what matters most in their world,' says Dr Achmad. 'They want to have their basic needs met – to have a warm, safe, dry home to grow up in, and enough food for their family. Young people want to be involved in decision-making about their own future. As one mokopuna told me recently: 'We, too, are concerned about what goes on in our world, especially our country. What happens now WILL affect our future.'
