Child Poverty Monitor 2019

The Office of the Children’s Commissioner, in partnership with the J R McKenzie Trust and the University of Otago has released the annual Child Poverty Monitor which reports on child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand and its impacts.

“Every child in Aotearoa New Zealand deserves to have the opportunity and support they need to live a good life. We have the potential to be a country where all children and young people thrive, with strong whānau and connected communities. Big, bold, permanent change is needed to reduce child poverty. One-offs aren’t going to cut it anymore.

Poverty continues to unfairly constrain the lives of too many children and their families in Aotearoa New Zealand. Poverty limits opportunities and choices and creates toxic stress that can make daily life unbearable. It fractures relationships, undermines health and education, and can make it almost impossible to get out of survival mode.”