Mana Mokopuna position paper - All children have the right to be safe from maltreatment

We want to see an Aotearoa New Zealand where every mokopuna feels cherished, protected, and respected as taonga, confident in the knowledge that they can trust the adults in their lives, and that they are safe wherever they learn, play and grow.

This position paper affirms the universal, inalienable, and indivisible rights of mokopuna to grow up safe from all forms of abuse and harm and to reach their full potential and recommends systemic change to help ensure mokopuna grow up safe and well.

Our policy recommendations are guided by evidence and the voices of mokopuna in Aotearoa New Zealand. They underpin Dear Children, our nationwide advocacy campaign drawing public attention to the problem and prevalence of child maltreatment in our communities.

Preventing harm to mokopuna requires urgent and ongoing action from us all – no single agency, sector, or individual can do it alone.