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Children's rights in New Zealand


The rights of children living in New Zealand are secured through various pieces of legislation. These include the Children's Commissioner Act 2003 (CCA), and the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989 (CYPFA), the Care of Children Act 2004, the Education Act 1989, the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (NZBORA), the Crimes Act 1961, the Human Rights Act 1993, the Privacy Act 1993, and the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The laws and policies comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which New Zealand ratified on 6 April 1993.

In New Zealand a person is considered a child or "minor" until the age of 20. On reaching this "age of majority" the person is no longer a child in the eyes of the law, and has all the rights and obligations of an adult. There are laws to protect young people from harm they may be subject to due to their lack of maturity. Some legal age restrictions are lifted below the age of majority, trusting that a child of a certain age is equipped to deal with the potential harm. For example, a 16-year-old may leave school; an 18-year-old may buy alcohol.

In the early 19th century, minors living in New Zealand were not given special rights in law, as they were not distinguished from adults. This position changed later in the century as minors were seen as a vulnerable group in need of protection; the concept of children's rights did not arise until later. The developments in the 19th century are indicative of the belief that children had a right to protection.

The rights of minors in New Zealand became increasingly acknowledged and expanded in the 20th century. Towards the end of the century New Zealand began to follow the international movement towards enhancing and protecting the lives of children.


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