Getting it right: Children's rights in the COVID-19 response

Children’s Rights in the COVID-19 response outlines what has worked for children in the COVID-19 response over the last year and recommends ways to better implement children’s rights in laws, policies and practices. It is the third thematic report in the Getting it Right series prepared by the Children’s Convention Monitoring Group.

The report encourages the Government to apply the lessons learned responding to COVID-19 to redesign our systems to tackle the big issues facing children and young people.

The report draws on the experiences of coming together, including as Te Tiriti o Waitangi intended – shoulder to shoulder as equals with important contributions to make for the wellbeing of everyone. It includes a range of recommendations to improve policies and practice by incorporating the rights of children and young people in areas including welfare, housing, education, health and justice.

It aims to:

• Accelerate progress for children and young people by centering their rights in the Government’s response to COVID-19;
• Inspire renewed efforts to address pre-existing and current issues for children and young people; and
• Ensure Aotearoa is well placed to weather future shocks for children and young people.