News Item

This just released publication is a collection of reflections that arose from a 2-day VUW symposium, held in August this year, entitled “Children’s Rights – National and International Contexts”. It was held in recognition that it’s been 30 years since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child was signed, setting out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of the child.

The collection includes 24 articles from those who presented and participated at the symposium, including panel members.

The symposium was attended by academics, members of the judiciary, public sector colleagues, NGO colleagues and postgraduate students. It was structured around a series of panels, where presenters shared brief reflections, and had time for questions and interaction with the symposium participants.

Panel members included international experts of children’s rights who shared their reflections on the potential of the international children’s rights framework:

• Justice Vui Clarence Nelson – UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Justice of the Supreme Court of Samoa
• Professor Ursula Kilkelly –  University College Cork, Ireland
• Professor Laura Lundy – Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Bruce Adamson –  Children and Young People’s Commissioner, Scotland
• Judge Andrew Becroft –  Children’s commissioner NZ

The symposium aimed to examine contemporary issues affecting children’s rights across four broad areas: the care system, the criminal jurisdiction, the Family Court, and the voice of the child in matters affecting them. It also aimed to build capability, opportunities for collaboration, and personal networks amongst scholars and advocates for children’s rights in New Zealand, and it was an ideal opportunity for forming international linkages and partnerships.

Research report: Children’s Rights in Aotearoa New Zealand – Reflections on the 30th Anniversary of The Convention on the Rights of the Child – PDF 128 pages

The Law Foundation provided $28,260 towards bringing international participants, attendance of post graduate students, and publishing costs for the Symposium