Tick for Kids

Media Release

15 September 2016

It takes a child to raise a city: Find out where the candidates stand - Tick for Kids New Plymouth Candidates Forum

Local candidates for the New Plymouth District Council are going to be asked what they will do to improve child wellbeing and whether they would support New Plymouth becoming a Child Friendly City at a public meeting on Sunday 18 September.

New Zealand is a signatory to UNCROC (the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child) - a convention that sets out the rights every child has, including the right to be heard. Fulfilling our obligations under UNCROC requires every part of society and every level of government, including local government, to play its part and work towards this goal.

UNICEF have developed the Child Friendly Cities initiative* to provide a framework to guide councils in their work to create cities and regions that respect children's rights and recognise and promote children’s interests at the local level.

Almost a third of children growing up in NZ are living in poverty. Issues like low wages and a lack of low cost, quality housing have a huge impact on children.

”Health workers, social workers and teachers around the country see every day the consequences of poverty – hungry, sick or stressed children, and Taranaki is no exception. Taranaki is the wealthiest province in the country, yet It is estimated that there are over 4000 children in Taranaki going without basic necessities such as fresh fruit and vegetables, a warm house and decent clothing” says local Paediatrician Dr Nicky Nelson. “And these children are often unable to learn, play and participate the way they should.”

“I believe that there is a lot that local councils can do to improve the social conditions of people and communities. For this reason we have asked Tick for Kids to host an event in New Plymouth to give local candidates an opportunity to tell the public how they intend to address these issues" says Dr Nelson.

Tick for Kids is a national movement designed to engage the public and politicians in discussion about what needs to be done to improve life for children in New Zealand.

Members of the public are invited to attend the free public meeting to be held at the Quality Hotel Plymouth International on Sunday 18th September from 3.00 to 5.00pm.

*More information on Child Friendly Cities can be found here: https://www.unicef.org.nz/learn/our-work-in-new-zealand/child-friendly-cities

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children” Nelson Mandela

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