Aotearoa New Zealand regularly ranks as one of most liveable and peaceful countries in the world. Yet despite a strong reputation for social justice and continuing attempts to eliminate disadvantage, inequalities persist; particularly for Mäori, Pacific and other minority ethnic groups. Spotlight on child poverty One in four children in Aotearoa New Zealand live in poverty - an alarming disparity which has put the issue of child poverty firmly under the spotlight. New Zealand’s first Child Poverty Monitor11 , launched in 2013 by Otago University and the Children’s Commissioner, revealed that child poverty affects around 265,000 children. Over half of them are Mäori and Pacific children, with Mäori and Pacific families more likely to face severe or persistent levels of poverty. For children living in poverty it means going to school hungry; living in cold, damp and overcrowded houses; lower educational achievement; and poorer health. It also means missing out on healthy food, doctor’s visits and important social opportunities such as school outings, birthday parties and playing sports. A 2013 UNICEF report, Kids Missing Out, stated that child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand was resulting in children’s rights not being met.12 The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has said more needs to be done to address the inequities faced by Mäori and Pacific children and children living in deprived areas in Aotearoa New Zealand. During 2013, the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and other child advocacy groups provided compelling evidence that reducing poverty should be at the heart of all government plans for children. Submissions to the Vulnerable Children Bill and Children’s Action Plan argued that poverty reduction is an essential step toward breaking cycles of child maltreatment, abuse and neglect. There was also a strong emphasis on the need for policies and programmes that are formulated and implemented with the involvement of Mäori and Pacific communities and which take Mäori and Pacific ideals and values into account. Initiatives such as Whänau Ora were seen as examples of good practice in this area. Other proposed solutions included increasing Tüi Tüi Tuituiä | Race Relations in 2013 the capacity of the health, education and social care workforce to deliver culturally responsive services. As part of its campaign to tackle child poverty, CPAG took a case to the Human Rights Tribunal challenging the Government’s in-work tax credit, saying it discriminated against beneficiaries.13 The challenge was the subject of a hearing in the Court of Appeal in May 2013. CPAG was represented by the Office of Human Rights Proceedings (with the Human Rights Commission intervening). CPAG argued that the credit, which applies only to working parents, not those on a benefit, was unjustified discrimination on the ground of employment status. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal saying that while the rule subjected beneficiaries to different treatment amounting to a material disadvantage, it could be justified under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. CPAG said that while it was pleased the court had agreed the in-work tax credit had a discriminatory impact, the effect of the rule was continuing to harm the poorest children in society. The Child Poverty Monitor indicates that the fundamental cause of child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand is that some parents, including those working, simply do not have enough income to provide adequately for their children. A recent vulnerability report from the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services indicated that low-income families increasingly cannot provide for even the basics as their weekly incomes fall further behind the rate of inflation.14 Confronted with rising rent and energy bills many basic necessities are being traded-off, such as nutritious food and visits to the doctor. The Children’s Commissioner repeated calls for an action plan on child poverty to include clear targets and monitoring. The Children’s Commissioner’s Expert Advisory Group (EAG) on Solutions to Child Poverty released a progress paper on recommendations it made in December 2012. The EAG said that while good work was underway, urgent steps needed to be taken to create a comprehensive child poverty strategy, address income poverty and improve access to affordable, good quality housing and to healthcare.15 These views were echoed by the United Nations in its 2014 Universal Periodic Review report which 29