Dr Claire Achmad, Chief Children’s Commissioner meets with Next Generation ConversationAfter circulating ACEC’s Briefing to Incoming Ministers we have been able to arrange a few meetings in the past month. A recent highlight was on 7 March, when Next Generation Conversation (NGC), a group of climate activists aged 10-15 years old based in Ōtautahi Christchurch met with Dr Claire Achmad, Chief Children’s Commissioner, who leads Mana Mokopuna – Children and Young People’s Commission. The catch up was an opportunity for the NGC to share their thoughts around climate change, with particular focus on the importance of climate change education and their right to have a say on things that interest and affect them and for that to be heard, listened to and taken seriously. The NGC identified key areas where the Chief Children’s Commissioner and Mana Mokopuna could support them, including: Get behind the amazing things NGC (and others like NGC) are doing Help to propel action on General Comment #26 in Aotearoa New Zealand, including taking this forward to the Government Do what she can to encourage others, including decision-makers like people in the Beehive, to listen and hear children’s voices and enable opportunities for children to have a say, because this is their world, and decisions made affect them Make sure that we are supporting system change that focuses on equity and preparedness, and ensuring everyone is heard Share the importance of working together with children, because it's their future and we need to do what we can now to make it good for them.
Following on from the catch up, Dr Claire Achmad emailed the NGC members thanking them for such a positive and insightful time together. She shared that one of the biggest privileges of her job is to get to meet and hear from children and young people directly and that she is committed to acting on what she heard from the team, and taking up opportunities to share what they told her when advocating for change. The Commissioner also highlighted the importance of standing up for your rights as children and advocating for change. This matters and it is powerful! She encouraged continued participation in advocacy and action to make our world a better place for all children, and to make sure we have a thriving planet Earth into the future. This included the importance of more children and young people knowing about their rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and things like General Comment 26. This is how we will keep building a movement for children’s rights in Aotearoa New Zealand, and also a great way to take action for the environment and our climate.
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