Child rights organisation Save the Children is giving young people a chance to speak out on the impact of the Government’s "phones away for the day" policy in its latest ‘children’s voices’ poll.

As part of the child rights organisation’s ongoing work to raise children’s voices on issues that impact them, Save the Children will have an in-person polling booth experience for children at today’s Kids Only Market, held at Mt Albert War Memorial Hall in Tāmaki Makaurau between 10am-1pm. Young people, schools and families from outside of Auckland can also get involved through an online polling form: Children's Voices Polls 2024 - School Cell Phone Ban.

Children are being asked how the new policy is working in their school, whether they support it and why, and what could be done to improve it.

"The views and opinions of children and young people matter - and ensuring those voices are heard is a fundamental right," says Save the Children New Zealand Advocacy Director Jacqui Southey.

"But while children are most directly impacted by the new cell phone ban in schools, they have not been meaningfully consulted, and their views on the changes have not been considered.

"We will be collating children’s opinions, insights and advice and feeding back to the Government on how the new policy is working in schools from children’s experience."

Earlier this year, Save the Children held a children’s voices poll on the proposed changed to Ka Ora, Ka Ako, Healthy School Lunches programme. Results from the poll showed 95% of the approximately 3500 children aged between 5-17-years surveyed supported "keeping" or "expanding" the programme, while just three per cent of children surveyed (94 children) were in favour of removing the programme and 2% (80 children) "don’t know".

Comments from the children that engaged in the poll, showed just how important the Healthy School Lunches Programme is to them and their peers.

"It’s a really good programme that helps," one participant shared. "Some of my friends don’t have enough food at home and this helps them not be hungry."

Children wanting to cast a vote at the Save the Children voting booth can do so at the Kids Only Market, organised by the Creative Kids Collection, which will be held between 10am-1pm at Mt Albert War Memorial Hall. Schools wanting to get involved can go to Children's Voices Polls 2024 - School Cell Phone Ban.

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