Newsletter January 2020

Kia ora koutou; kia ora tātou katoa!

Welcome to our first newsletter in 2020.

We hope you all had a restful break and a good start to the year.

As we haven’t had a newsletter for a little while we still need to acknowledge the passing of two

of our life members.

We farewell Barbara Hale, a founding member of the Auckland OMEP Chapter and a Life Member

since 2013, who passed away on November 4th. This farewell is also posted on the OMEP

Facebook site:

It is with great sadness that we farewell OMEP Aotearoa NZ life member, Barbara Hale, who

passed away on Monday (Nov 4th). Barbara, also a life member of Te Rito Maioha and

NZCA/ECNZ, was highly political within the wider early childhood community over many decades

and was driven by her desire to always work in the best interests of children. To echo Te Rito

Maioha's farewell: Kua hinga he tōtara nui o te waonui a Tāne - A great tōtara tree has fallen.

Barbara was a founding member of the OMEP Auckland Chapter in 1995, and a member of OMEP

Aotearoa NZ's National Executive during the late 1990's. Not only did she devote her time to

advocating for early childhood issues at all levels, Barbara also owned and managed an early

childhood centre, Barbara's Place', which reflected her strong beliefs about ECE and her passion

for 'walking the talk'. Barbara's Place was always sought after for its quality, a place where

philosophy, pedagogy and practice were as one.

Barbara, we will always remember you for your aroha, your quiet thoughtfulness, your patience,

your ability to listen to others and, above all, for your years of dedication to OMEP and to early

childhood education throughout the early childhood community.

To aroha he karere ki te ao - Your love is a beacon to the world.

Haere e te whaea, haere, haere, haere.

We also farewell Beverley Morris, who passed away on November 12 of this year.

MORRIS, Beverley Jean (Beverley) (nee Williams). CNZM QSO and honorary life member of OMEP

Aotearoa. Beverley was born October 12, 1923 and she passed away on November 12, 2019.

In 2016 Beverley was awarded an Honorary Membership of OMEP Aotearoa NZ (World

Organisation for Early Childhood) for her promotion of children’s rights and in particular, a

child’s right to play as a member of a family and community.

Below is a resume of Beverley’s commitment to the early childhood community and New

Zealand children, which was written in support of the application for her honorary membership

of OMEP Aotearoa:

Beverley Morris, CNZM, QSO, is a life member and former President of the NZ Playcentre

Federation. A prolific writer since childhood Beverley wrote a number of books and

articles on the ways in which children learn through their everyday play, that are still

relevant and used in early childhood centres today. She was responsible for the

development of the original Playcentre Diploma and has continued to actively support

Playcentre and its philosophy – the importance of family, lifelong learning and the

inherent value of play in children’s learning.

More generally, Beverley has been a passionate advocate for children’s rights, especially

their right to play, believing “Children don’t play to learn, they learn while they play”. She

has been a member of the Human Rights Network in Auckland and also a member of

Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa (ACYA). At 93 years of age she continues to be an

active member of the International Play Association (Child’s Right to Play) Aotearoa/NZ

and has represented New Zealand at international IPA conferences.

Beverley has made a very significant contribution to early childhood education and

children’s rights in New Zealand. Her life’s work has exemplified the aims and objectives

of OMEP, and while not a member of OMEP she been an active member of other advocacy

groups. During her time in Wellington she worked closely with key leaders in OMEP, such

as Betty Armstrong, Val Burns and more recently Helen Bernstone. She was made a

Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for Community Services (QSO) in 1988, and

subsequently awarded the CNZM (Companion of the Order of Merit) for services to early

childhood education in the New Years Honours List for 2015.

Her 2015 citation reads:

“Ms Morris has been involved in the development of what has become the early

childhood education sector from the early 1950s. She helped to establish the Newtown

Playcentre in Wellington and, in the late 1960s, wrote and awarded the first national

diploma for Playcentre. Her presentations to and discussions with young people led to

her book 'Understanding Children' in 1967, which has been revised and updated several

times. She was the President of the Playcentre Federation from 1976 to 1977, and the

President of the National Council for Adult Education from 1981 to 1983. She worked at

Victoria University in the Centre for Continuing Education for 22 years, until her

retirement. Ms Morris has been a life member of the Playcentre Federation for more than

30 years.”

Since moving from Wellington to Auckland she has been a persistent advocate for

children, submitting to every iteration of the Children’s Plan for Auckland City Council in

particular with regard to requesting the appointment of a Children’s Advocate.

On behalf of OMEP Aotearoa, our sincere condolences to Beverley’s family.

This photo was taken in June 2016, when Hilary Alach was awarded life membership. From left to

right: Robyn Houlker, Beverley Morris, Barbara Hale and Hilary Alach.

AGM We have had a busy year for OMEP in 2019, across all chapters and across a range of issues. We

held the OMEP Aotearoa NZ AGM on November 17th 2019 in Christchurch, alongside the annual

NZARE conference. We had a full attendance at the AGM with all 6 chapters represented. The

rest of the day we had discussion groups and workshops around key issues, including our

Aotearoa NZ OMEP involvement in the Children’s Rights Alliance Aotearoa NZ 2020

Alternative/NGO UNCROC Report to the United Nations. We had a very successful workshop

facilitated by Catherine Peet from Network Waitangi Otautahi to support us in the development

of our OMEP Bicultural Strategy.

Thank you! You will have received reports on the AGM from your chapter liaison people and from Glynne,

including the President’s report from Diti Hill, but I would like to use this newsletter to express

thanks to the following people:

Diti Hill, for taking over the role of president when I wasn’t able to continue this year. As always,

Diti, your experience and dedication are very much appreciated. Diti will stay on the exec as

immediate past president and delegate for Auckland.

Glynne Mackey, who has been national secretary for the last four years. It has been a big role,

sending out all notices, taking minutes etc. and your support to keep us all updated has been very

much appreciated by us all. Glynne will stay on the exec as the delegate for Canterbury.

I also would like to thank the following people who have stepped down from the exec, for your

support for the organisation:

• Beverley Clark (Delegate for Otago);

• Juvena Jalal (for supporting the development of our website and for editing our

newsletters);

• Charlotte Robertson (who has served on the exec for many years as the delegate for

Auckland);

• Margaret Stuart (superbly leading the writing of submissions for many years);

Lia de Vocht, OMEP Aotearoa president

CREATIVE ART WORLD OMEP*

(World Organisation of Early Childhood) Colour your rights: 30 years with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

On behalf of OMEP Cyprus, OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand wish to invite you to participate in the

CREATIVE ART WORLD OMEP PROJECT celebrating 30 years of the UN Convention on the Rights

of the Child.

Children from all OMEP member countries are invited to illustrate their

understanding, feelings and thoughts about one specific Right of the Child

through artistic expression using a variety of ways, approaches and

materials which will initially be digitally displayed at the OMEP World

Assembly in July 2020.

Please check the OMEP Aotearoa Facebook site for further information and forms.

OMEP Aotearoa/OMEP Pacific Island Nations

Teacher Exchange project Following are some photos from the most recent OMEP Aotearoa/OMEP Pacific Island Nations

Teacher Exchange. Oliveta Talia and Fatali Moepeau were hosted by the Canterbury Chapter

(Rikke Betts and Jocelyn Wright) and Sosefina Tepoutoa and Bethfreda Leileala Resture were

hosted by the Auckland Chapter (Linda Petrenko and Sosefina’s brother). All four teachers came

together in Auckland for a valuable talanoa session, the notes from which will be in the November

newsletter!

Two further teachers from Tuvalu are expected mid-November - Telutu and Siamoa. They will be

hosted by the Auckland Chapter and hopefully meet the 4 teachers from Tauranga travelling to

Tuvalu in May 2020. Telutu is the Tuvaluan Ministry of Education’s Senior ECE Officer; the focus

of her visit will be a reflection on and collation of all of this year’s visits. Decisions about the future

of the OMEP Aotearoa/OMEP PIN Teacher Exchanges will be made at the AGM on November

17th.

Oliveta, Jocelyn, Fatali,

Ruta McKenzie (MinEd

Canterbury) and Rikke in

Christchurch

Linda Telutu, Marianne,

Siamoa and Eve and Nola

at Small Kauri lunch

welcome.

Linda shares the Small

Kauri philosophy and

pedagogy with Oliveta,

Fatali and Leileala.

Sosefina (left) and Leileala (right)

visit the A’oga Fa’a Samoa in

Richmond Rd, Auckland

All four teachers met at

Small Kauri (Linda Petrenko’s

centre, Mangere Bridge,

Auckland) for a talanoa

session 1.11.2019.

Left to right: Ulu

Nawaqavanua (OMEP

Pasifika Liaison), Fatali,

Oliveta, Leileala, Sosefina

and Nola Harvey.

NOTICES

World OMEP

2020 - 72nd World Assembly and Conference: July 13-17, Athens, Greece

2021 - the 73rd World Assembly and Conference will be held in French Canada; dates yet to be

announced.

The Asia-Pacific Region

2021 Regional Conference - April 18-20, Hangzhou, China

NEWS from OMEP AOTEAROA NZ CHAPTERS Auckland

In 2019, Auckland chapter has hosted two of the most recent Tuvaluan visiting teachers, Sosefina

Tepoutoa and Bethfreda Leileala Resture (Lei). Lei stayed with our committee member, Linda

Petrenko, and Sosefina with family members. Sosefina’s time was split between Lis Pedro’s

centre, Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata, and Laine Tipi’s centre, Leata’atao Tupulaga, whilst Lei was

mostly at Small Kauri. Our very warm thanks to them and also to Meg Moss, Carol Hartley and

Jan Taouma who all who welcomed Sosefina and Lei for visits. Thanks too, to those committee

members who helped with transport around Auckland (including a couple of very early morning

airport trips).

We made a submission to the Ministry of Education on “Person Responsible Requirements in ECE

Centres”. We opposed both options, but made a number of suggestions as to other ways to

increase the supply of qualified EC teachers in the short to medium term. We’re also planning to

respond to “Shaping a Stronger Education System with New Zealanders”, and hopefully a small

group will put something together before the November deadline.

We made a decision to reduce the number of workshops to 3 per year, and to trial holding

members’ meetings each semester. We’ll be reviewing this, both in relation to the numbers of

people showing interest in the different types of evenings, and also in relation to budget as our

workshops have in the past been a significant source of income. Our most recent members’

meeting focussed on teacher and child wellbeing. We will use the discussion to draft some

suggestions, along with input from other chapters, relating to early childhood education, to send

to CRAANZ as they develop questions to put to the NZ government with regard to obligations

under UNCRC.

We held our AGM in mid-September - the new committee is:

President - Nola Harvey; Vice-President - Linda Petrenko; Secretary - Marianne Kayes; Treasurer

- Pauline Bishop, with Kristy Austin as Treasurer Support. Kristy has subsequently picked up the

whole role. Committee: Pauline Bishop, Mary-Liz Broadley, Julie Dent, Gemma Henrys, Diti Hill-

Denee, Meg Moss, Linda Petreko, Charlotte Robertson, Eve Stevenson, Pryia Subasinghe. Diti will

replace Charlotte as our NE Liaison after the NE AGM. Lee-Anne Turton is helping with

communications and publicity as an ex officio committee member.

We will be showing “Vai” as a fundraising event in the first week of December. All funds raised

will go towards costs associated with the PIN teacher exchange. This will double as our end-of-

year function.

Wellington

On November 20 OMEP Wellington, Save the Children, Barnardos and the Children’s Rights

Alliance celebrated 30 years since the signing of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

with a Children’s Picnic at Parliament. The list of invitees included the Prime Minister, The

Speaker (Trevor Mallard), Ministers Little, Sepuloni, Hipkins and Martin, Marama Davidson,

Deputy Leader Peters, Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft, Human Rights Commissioner

Paul Hunt, Alfred Ngaro, National Party Spokesperson for Children, Nicola Willis, National Party

Spokesperson for ECE, UNICEF Executive Director Vivien Maidaborn, Chief Executive Save the

Children Heidi Coetzee.

At the Children’s Picnic with over 80

children and their teachers and

parents present, Prime Minister

Jacinda Ardern announced the

government’s recommitment to the

UNCRC. “Today, on this Anniversary, I

want to recommit again New

Zealand’s absolute commitment to

the United Nations’ Convention on

the Rights of the Child. And, we’re

going to sign up to a special pledge to

do that.”

The announcement followed the submission of a joint letter signed by the CEOs of 28 child-

focused NGOs in New Zealand, including OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand, urging the government

to recommit to the UNCRC.

The children were happy to open the new parliament playground as well.

The event was very successful. Follow this link to view what the government has signed up for.

Click here to see what the NZ government has committed to.

This is a great link if you want to know more about the convention:

https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention/global-action

OMEP Wellington member centres really showed up and I want to say a big thank you to

Newtown Kindergarten, Hill Street Early Childhood Centre, Kid’s Reserve, Best Start

Kaiwharawhara, Playhouse Preschool and Barnardos Porirua and Wellington. Thank you to the

Student Volunteers who have been gifted 3 professional development sessions next year at

OMEP Wellington.

Student Volunteers

OMEP Wellington’s Professional Development

Programme

Our speakers for October and November were

Mike Bedford, Andy Cairns and Lealamanu'a Aiga,

Caroline Mareko.

The story of the Toru Fetu Learning Community receiving the Prime Ministers Award in 2018 was

presented by Andy Cairns and Lealamanu'a Aiga, Caroline Mareko of Whānau Manaaki o Tararua

Kindergarten Association. We learned how necessary it is to ensure Pacific Island whānau are

included in our centres.

The journey of Toru Fetu Kindergarten in Porirua started as the dream of 3 community based

playgroups and took 3 and a half years of negotiation to find a name and a common ground to

become a licensed service. The kindergarten now offers wrap-around service and 3 language

nests. It has become a community of mutual respect and there is continued growth of the centre

as a community hub. Andy and Caroline challenged the audience to put on our own Pacifika

lenses and ask the question, how are you ready to receive Pacifika learners.

Mike Bedford presented in October on the Quality-Based

Contracting Governance Model he has developed that

would assist the sector to achieve quality in a centre before

allowing additional centres to be opened.

From his presentation:

Licence – gives license. One-sided, it has requirements and

boundaries, but no service relationship. Contracting – a

mutually agreed service for revenue, with required

performance standards Government ownership – a fully

public service, but will cost several billion dollars (and a lot of

objections from the sector). Licensing, contracting or government provision? The licensing

system contains no motivation towards good quality. The contracting model holds centres more

accountable to the quality measures associated with ECE service provision.

He has started ECE Reform (website in process) which puts children at the centre of early

education and care, and puts quality of life first. It seeks reform of the ECE and care sector by

developing and promoting systems of provision and governance that are quality-driven, which

promote children’s wellbeing and learning opportunities, and which protect them from

exploitation and harm. It seeks a return to a view of children as people, as our offspring to be

loved and nurtured, rather than a market for commercial activity. It sees healthy, happy,

childhoods as the foundation for learning and for future quality of life. It values parenting. It sees

teachers as people too – to be valued and respected as they care for and teach our children.

Handwashing In Aotearoa –October 2019

Participation with GHD/WASH is an annual priority in Aotearoa. In 2019 we worked on our

partnerships with public health and other child specialty services. We have expanded our

understanding of the 5 Points of Action and what is required for their implementation in

Aotearoa New Zealand. Sustainability outcomes will be achieved by supporting children to

develop knowledge and skills on the dynamic relationship they have with their environment

(including the need for the habit of handwashing).

REPORT Based on 5 ACTION Areas of WASH

OMEP Aotearoa New Zealand (OMEP ANZ) promotes Global Hand Washing Day in preschool

settings. We are beginning to embed the notion of a Child’s Right to survive and be well,

therefore to learn good handwashing skills right from the start is necessary. There is no funding

to assist with the development of an ongoing programme.

OMEP ANZ does not have a WASH programme in New Zealand, however, there are some WASH

programmes in the Pacific Island that could be supported.

OMEP ANZ is developing partnerships with Public Health, and we are to approach a private

business in order to develop a PPP. Additional partners are families/ whānau and parents. We

will develop a resource for home and a resource to support preschool centres to create a

resource from home. We are working with the science of developing good habits as our guide

to development of resources.

OMEP ANZ will continue to work with Regional Public Health to strengthen the minimum

standards for handwashing and other health behaviours in the current regulations document.

Regional Public Health continues to advocate for better regulations.

This year (2020) OMEP ANZ will review how healthy behaviours are integrated into the

curriculum of ITE within New Zealand. With Regional Public Health OMEP ANZ will continue to

advocate for Professional Learning Opportunities to be provided for preschool teachers.

OMEP Japan Visitors in Wellington

While at the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference

in Japan, I was fortunate to meet Dr Tomoko

Nasukawa, Professor of Childhood Education

at Hyogo University of Teacher Education and

Ms Hoa Pham, PhD student at Auckland

University. Both were in Wellington 24 – 29

November.

OMEP Wellington hosted them to a dinner an

Ethiopian Restaurant and then made

arrangements for them to visit local centres.

Paparārangi, Newtown and Owhiro Bay

Kindergartens provided the visitors with

insightful discussion and great memories. We

hope to invite Hoa back next year to present

her research (cultural identity) to our

membership.

Kerrie Duncan, Wellington Chapter

Canterbury

We hosted Fatali Moepeau and Oliveta Talia from Tuvalu for

3 weeks from 11 October to 1 November. They stayed

together with Rikke Betts and Jocelyn Wright alternating

weeks.

Thank you Jocelyn Wright who hosted Fatali at Hagley

Community Preschool and to Tracy Summerton who hosted

Oliveta at Kidsfirst Kindergarten Rutland Street.

They also experienced other early years settings with

Beststart preschools (thank you to Jude and Penny),

Tafesilafa'i Early Learning Centre (a total immersion Samoan

Catholic Preschool), Barnadoes, spent a weekend with Ruta

McKenzie (Pasifika ECE Leader), met the Ministry of

Education Pasifika team and with Jocelyn attended a Pasifika

Network meeting where they presented on what ECE looks

like in Tuvalu.

Their stay highlighted for us how our play based curriculum is a new concept for these teachers

and we hope they will implement their new knowledge back in their preschools.

We held our AGM on 17th September and the following were elected: President: Current vacant

(Jo has stood down from this position after 3 years), Secretary: Beverley Smith; Membership

Secretary: Anita Croft, Co-Treasurers: Lisa Fleming and Anita Croft, Chapter NE Liaison: Glynne

Mackey. Our last meeting for the year will be 3rd December at Hagley Community Preschool.

Early Childhood News and Items of Interest

DECLARATION

from the OMEP World Assembly in Panama, July 23, 2019

RENEW YOUR COMMITMENTS!

THIRTY YEARS AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (CRC)

We, members of the World Executive Committee of the World Organization for Early Childhood

Education (OMEP), presidents and delegates of the National Committees present at the 71st

World Assembly in Panama endorse our commitment to move forward in the realization and

implementation of the CRC, always giving priority to the best interests of the child. The CRC

proposes four guiding principles for its interpretation and application: the best interests of the

child, the right to non-discrimination, the right to life, survival and development, and the

freedom of expression and to be heard.

By ratifying the CRC, State parties are obliged to respect and protect all children, and to

guarantee and promote the human rights of children. However, we recognize that there are still

major challenges. The international context presents inequities and injustices to be faced in

order to fulfil the rights of young children.

Today, too many children around the world are living under conditions that deserve immediate

action;

- children in poverty, inequality, famines and other difficult conditions, e.g. armed conflicts. For

young children, every single day is of vital importance for their physical, emotional and mental

health,

- children in migration in all regions of the world. There are displaced children living in camps,

separated from their families, sometimes even imprisoned,

- children who are affected by climate change, pollution, environmental degradation and

increased frequency of natural disasters,

- children affected by racism, xenophobia and gender discrimination,

- children suffering from sexual and labour exploitation.

Since 1948, OMEP has been working with education for peace and for the fulfilment of

children’s rights to education, health, well-being, food, housing, care and development from

the earliest years.

According to the CRC, children have the rights to play, health, education and care, and it is our

joint efforts that make this possible. Education relies on well trained and well-respected

teachers. Children also have the right to express themselves in all matters that relate to them.

Thus, children are important citizens with the right to participate in the development of our

societies, and for a sustainable future. The Agenda 2030 is based on international human rights

standards, with the goal of leaving no one behind, the imperative of equality and non-

discrimination. The sustainable development goal No 4 addresses the availability, accessibility,

affordability and acceptability of lifelong education for all. Education is a fundamental human

right of every person, and the basis for the realization of all other goals and rights.

Now is the time for State parties to renew their commitments, redouble their efforts and take

all possible actions to fulfil the rights of all children and especially for the most vulnerable and

children at risk. We call on all governments to take immediate action to guarantee the children

a safe life and for each boy and every girl to develop to their fullest potential, leaving no one

behind.

OMEP is an international, non-governmental and non-profit organization concerned with all

aspects of early childhood education and care. OMEP was founded in 1948 and has consultative

status with UN, UNESCO and UNICEF. OMEP has 72 national committees in all regions of the

world.

http://www.worldomep.org/

Declaration of the Asia Pacific Regional Conference of OMEP in Kyoto, Japan, 2AL9 Quality of

ECEC (Early Childhood Education and Care)

(Thanks to Kerrie Duncan for providing us with this report)

During the OMEP Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Kyoto, Japan in September 5-7 2019, all

participants representing the Asia Pacific Region and the world, agreed that we must uphold

the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to ensure every child has a right to access and

participate in programs and services of Early Childhood Education and Care of good quality

without discrimination.

Recent studies show that high-quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is essential for

young children's life-long well-being. However, we recognize that there are still struggles and

challenges in the region and the world; too many children are living under conditions of poverty,

discrimination, exclusion, and exploitation. Therefore, providing high- quality ECEC is

indispensable for our region in pursuit of equity and social justice, which supports Education for

Sustainable Development, and to protect the rights of every child. The regional community is

accountable and must immediately take action to improve the quality of ECEC to meet the

needs in the best interests of every child throughout the region. Failure to act is unethical and

a violation of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the Rights of the Child.

Therefore, the members of OMEP Asia Pacific Region are committed to participating,

collaborating, evaluating, monitoring, and enforcing the regional and global commitments

made to ECEC. At the same time, OMEP Asia Pacific Region calls on our local, national, and global

leaders to take immediate action for providing high-quality ECEC to:

1. Work to reach the SDG, 4.2, which states that, by 2030, all girls and boys have access to quality

childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary

education;

2. Guarantee that every child has a right to live, to be nurtured, to be protected, and to

participate as she/he gains access to educational programs and systems being guaranteed by

the Convention on the Rights of the Child;

3. Provide young children with safe places and time to pray and learn; ensure their freedom of

expression. and their voices to be heard;

4. Respect teachers and caregivers' cultural, economic and well-being status. And support,

protect and provide sufficient time and opportunity to engage in professional development to

deepen their knowledge, skills, attitudes and capacity to provide high-quality ECEC;

5. Recognize the essential contribution parents, caregivers, and families make to ensure that

children attain their rights to play and learn;

6. Increase financial investment in ECEC to improve quality and expand access of programs and

services for young children;

7. Practice ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) to ensure all children and adults work

together to promote a culture of peace and democratic society.

We ask all our governments to protect and restore every child's right to live and develop to their

full potential, and leave no one behind.

OMEP is an international, non-governmental and non-profit organization concerned with all

aspects of early childhood education and care.

OMEP was founded in 1948 and has consultative status with the UN, UNESCO and UNICEF.

OMEP has national committees in all regions of the world.

(From the OMEP Asia-Pacific Assembly in Kyoto, Japan Sept 7th 2019).

Making Children’s Rights Real in Aotearoa : Convention on the Rights of the Children

Reporting Workshop hosted by Child Rights Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand (CRAANZ,

previously ACYA)

The process for the next non-government report to the United Nations on how Aotearoa New

Zealand implements the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has changed significantly and

so attendance at this workshop was important. It was valuable to learn first-hand the

expectations, the time line and the ways we could contribute.

The initial work by the Children’s Rights Alliance as they begin to collate is to provide

identification of trends and issues, and questions for the Child Rights Committee to raise with

our Government. This is due 1 March 2020 and so submissions and contributions to this initial

stage must be gathered over the next two months from NGO groups. The CR Committee

develops a list of issues prior to reporting (LOIPR) due June 2020. The Government response is

due June 2021 and then the CRAANZ report that provides supplementary information and

evidence is due 1 September 2021.

This report includes comments on the Government Report and suggests questions to ask the

Government. The pre-session when the Children’s Rights Alliance meets the UN Committee is

October, 2021. So the major change is that the process is now lead by non-governmental

organisations as they identify the issues and trends in the treatment of children and the

alignment of legislation, policy and practices with the UNCRC whereas in the past the non-

governmental report has been partially influenced by responding to the Government’s report.

In the Auckland workshop the key concerns identified were issues that have been raised before

and are at times reported by media. The aim is to identify the key thirty trends or issues that

affect children and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand from birth to eighteen. A workshop

task was to choose one issue, record the impact, then where relevant information could be

found using evidence from reports, individuals and/or organisations, and then formulate

questions that could be raised by the CR Committee to our Government. Providing such

evidence and/or ideas for where to find evidence could be one of the key ways that OMEP could

contribute. Our report also covers Tokelau.

Three Auckland Chapter Committee members attended the Auckland workshop of CRAANZ -

Nola Harvey, (OMEP Auckland Chapter President and the International Play Association

Secretary) Susan Bates (a member of OMEP and ECE Teachers’ Advocacy Group), and Charlotte

Robertson, (OMEP National Exec and Auckland Chapter Committee Member and an

International Play Association Committee member). Nola and Charlotte have been individual

members of Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa and contributed to previous reports.

After the workshop the CRAANZ AGM was held and Jennifer Braithwaite was appointed Chair.

Veisinia Maka, youth advocate and recent Chair of Auckland Council Youth Advisory Panel was

the guest speaker.

The name change from Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa to CRAANZ occurred in August

this year at a Special General Meeting in Wellington, to reflect working collegially to promote

child’s rights. “ … we are an alliance of individuals and organisations committed to promoting

respect for children and their rights. We are the collective voice for children’s rights in Aotearoa

… All children. All rights. All circumstances.” (Andrea Jamieson’s Chair’s report, 2019).

Charlotte Robertson and Nola Harvey

October, 2019