Save the Children is calling for deliberate investment in children in this year’s Budget to lift the standard of living of children and their families, particularly those already facing hardship.

Many families have been impacted by extreme weather events fuelled by the climate crisis and the ongoing cost of living crisis, while child poverty statistics released in March showed no real change in numbers with material hardship significantly felt by tamariki Māori, Pasifika children and children with disabilities. Disabled children were more than three times more likely to experience material hardship than non-disabled households, and because the numbers excluded families living in emergency accommodation in the survey, the data missed those families living at the hardest end of poverty.

Save the Children’s Advocacy Director Jacqui Southey says while the organisation appreciates the Government’s conservative or so-called "no frills", approach to spending, children should not be seen as frills - and greater investment is needed to ensure all children in New Zealand have their rights met.

"We want to see deliberate investment in services for children, particularly in health, standard of living and food security.

"Too many families are doing it really tough. While we acknowledge the investments made in lifting incomes for families on the lowest incomes and the measures to offset the cost of living crisis, such as public transport subsidies, continued investment is needed.

"This is a child rights issue. Every child needs a decent standard of living, access to nutritious food, healthy and affordable housing, education, and healthcare if they are to live good lives now and look forward to a bright future. Government investment is required to ensure these rights for all of our children."

Ms Southey says the recent examination of New Zealand’s progress on upholding children’s rights by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child urged the Government to continue to prioritise public spending on measures to lift children out of poverty and to ensure good health and education outcomes.

"We need to see deliberate investment in children. The UN Committee made clear the importance of governments budgeting specifically for child rights. Government investment needs to benefit all children in Aotearoa.

"The delivery of the budget allocation for children should be visible rather than hidden in big sector budgets such as health or education."

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