OMEP Aotearoa
  • HOME
  • About
    • National Exec
    • Rōpū Representatives
    • Life and Honorary Members
  • Join
  • News and Hui
    • Exec Hui
    • Events
    • News
  • Resources
    • Expressions of Wai in ECE
    • ESD Environment Rating Scale
    • He Taonga tonu te Tamariki | For Each and Every Child
    • Mitigating Climate Change as a Child's Right Project
    • Extra Resources
  • Rōpū
    • Tāmaki Makaurau
    • Waikato
    • Whanganui a Tara
    • Waitaha
    • Ōtākou
  • Newsletter

News

UNESCO & OMEP Webinar

6/10/2025

0 Comments

 

Strengthening local committment to early childhood: Tools and strategies for civil society

Dear friends and colleagues,
I warmly invite you to join me on June 17 for a very special webinar co-hosted by UNESCO and OMEP:
“Strengthening local commitment to early childhood: Tools and strategies for civil society.”
This is more than just a session—it’s a moment to come together, to inspire one another, and to reinforce our collective work for early childhood education across the globe.
It reflects the strong collaboration we are building with UNESCO and showcases how civil society can lead with purpose and vision.
Let’s make our voices heard. Let’s be present, active, and united.
 Tuesday, June 17
 3:00–4:30 PM (Paris time)
 Online – in English
 All info and login link here: https://www.omepfrance.fr/actualites/actualites-omep-mondiale
Please accompany me in this important moment for OMEP. Your presence matters!
With appreciation and enthusiasm,
Mercedes
Picture
Click here for more info
0 Comments

International Day of Play

6/10/2025

0 Comments

 

International Day of PLAY

Dear Friends,
We are delighted to invite you to a special event to mark the International Day of Play, taking place on 11 June 2025 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM (Paris time).
Under the theme “Better Play, Better Learning,” this event will bring together leading voices to explore the vital role of play in children’s well-being, learning, and development. From playful storytelling and foundational learning to creative expression and joyful school environments, we will highlight how play is not only a right but also a powerful educational tool that fosters lifelong skills, resilience, and happiness.
Highlights of the event include:
  • Insights from international experts and practitioners in child development and education
  • Real-life stories from parents, teachers, and students
  • The launch of UNESCO’s new Happy Schools video
 Register here to join us. 
For more information, please refer to the attached concept note. 
We look forward to your participation.
Picture
save_the_date.pdf
File Size: 446 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

concept_note_-_international_day_of_play.pdf
File Size: 443 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

0 Comments

OMEP Response to Treaty Principles Bill

2/10/2025

0 Comments

 
submission_treaty_principles_bill_13.12.24.pdf
File Size: 203 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

​Submission on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill
13 December 2024
OMEP World (World Organisation for Early Childhood Education) is an international,
interdisciplinary, non-government organisation, founded in 1948. OMEP World provides a meeting
ground for representatives from a range of professions and nationalities, all concerned for the
wellbeing, education and rights of young children and their families. It is affiliated to the United
Nations, working collaboratively with UNICEF, UNESCO and the Council of Europe.
OMEP Aotearoa is one of over 60 member countries of OMEP World. Our key objective is to
promote and protect the rights of young children under the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child (UNCRC). We are an incorporated society and registered charity (CC53036). We have
members across Aotearoa with five regional rōpū: Tāmaki Makaurau, Waikato, Te Whanganui-a-
Tara, Ōtākou and Waitaha.
OMEP Aotearoa recognises Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa New
Zealand. Our objectives and goals promote a uniquely Aotearoa New Zealand approach to the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child understood through the articles of Te Tiriti o
Waitangi, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and the UN Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Goals and objectives of OMEP Aotearoa pertinent to this submission are:
- Promote optimum conditions for children’s holistic well-being, development (including mauri,
mana, rangatiratanga, wairuatanga), and welfare in the context of their whānau, hapū, iwi,
institutions, communities, and wider society.
- Give effect to whanaungatanga through shared experiences and working together between
tangata whenua and tangata tiriti to promote the identities, languages and cultures of all
children within early childhood education
- Uphold te reo Māori and NZ Sign Language as official languages and respect the additional
languages used within Aotearoa.
- Support any organisation, institutional group or individual activity which furthers the cause of
children’s rights within the limits of the Organisation’s resources.
- Support programmes which promote kaitiakitanga and local curriculum that stem from the
whakapapa and pūrākau of the local iwi.
- Advocate for education in sustainability and for children’s voices to be taken into account in
relation to eco-sustainability practices that protect the resources of Ranginui, Papatūānuku,
and Tangaroa for everyone now and for future generations.
OMEP Submission to Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill 2
We oppose the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill for the following reasons:
The Treaty Principles Bill undermines Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the founding doctrine of Aotearoa New
Zealand that allowed Pākehā to co-reside in this country with Māori..
Te Tiriti o Waitangi forged a pact between the Crown and Māori. The Government has failed to
engage with Māori who are the tangata whenua original inhabitants to this contract, and who will
have their rangatiratanga determined by the Crown. To proceed without consultation with Māori is
completely unacceptable and is another breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi inflicted on tangata whenua
of this country.
The Bill is an attempt to diminish the Crown’s guarantee and obligations to uphold and protect the
rights of Māori as signed by both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi being the first immigration policy of
this country.
It fails to work in good faith to validate the intention and interpretations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The
Bill has not been informed by expert advice. The Waitangi Tribunal, and numerous legal experts,
have made it very clear that this Bill should not proceed.
The Treaty Principles Bill does not have children and their future at the heart of its policy. It
undermines the optimum conditions for children’s holistic wellbeing, welfare and development
within their whānau, hapū, iwi, institutions and community and their place in society.
This Bill threatens children’s rights to learn, grow, develop their identity, language and culture in a
fair, equitable and inclusive community that honors, respects and reflects the dual heritages of
Aotearoa New Zealand.
This Bill seeks to reverse the progress made in working together between Tangata Whenua and
Pākehā to uphold te reo me ōna tikanga, mātauranga Māori and jeopardises the kaitiakitanga of
te taiao (the natural environment) ngā: maunga, awa, roto, whenua, moana, ngahere which in turn
threatens the future of all living in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This Bill erodes the rights of indigenous people as it does not take into consideration the voices of
children, whanau and communities. This Bill does not recognise rights as stated in the United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. We suggest the Coalition reconsider their
present stance on this UN Declaration and on their requirement that public servants communicate
primarily in English. We suggest these are retrograde steps.
This Bill continues the colonisation of its indigenous people, re-colonising and assimilating tangata
whenua. It is flawed and disingenuous to promote this Bill under the guise of equality, and to
suggest that it is necessary in order to protect the rights of all citizens. In Aotearoa New Zealand
equal rights are protected under the Bill of Rights Act (1990) and the Human Rights Act (1993).
This Bill aims to demote and remove Te Tiriti o Waitangi and jeopardises Our Code Our Standards:
Standard for the Teaching Profession 1 Te Tiriti o Waitangi Partnerships.
• This Bill will impact ongoing Treaty settlements.
• This Bill will thwart Māori access to justice.
• This Bill seeks to divide Aotearoa New Zealand, rather than bring people together.
• The Bill will also have the effect of removing protections for customary use by Māori of land
and resources and make it easier for corporations to exploit natural resources.
Recommendations:
The role and responsibilities of government should be to advocate for tamariki, whānau and
community NOT threaten and put at risk indigenous rights, children’s rights, and human rights. The
Crown should be actively promoting and protecting Māori rights, children’s rights and human rights.
OMEP Submission to Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill 3
OMEP Aotearoa recommend that:
1. The Treaty Principles Bill is stopped NOW before it goes any further,
2. The Bill must not progress to a second reading.
3. No referendum regarding the place of Te Tiriti of Waitangi in our country be held now or in the
future.
4. The Treaty Principles Bill is removed from the statute book.
5. The Government always takes into account the impact of any potential legislation on children
and young people.
6. When reflecting on or discussing this Bill, that the Government has a responsibility to promote
the correct history, evidence and interpretations in order to negate the publicised
misinterpretations.
7. The Government takes measures to ameliorate the divisions that have been created by the
introduction of this Bill.
We urge the select committee to reject this Bill, to ensure it is withdrawn and instead bring to the
fore the realization of Te Tiriti o Waitangi is this country’s constitutional obligation to protect all
interests of Māori. Māori are the original inhabitants of this country and welcomed the Crown to
co-reside in this country alongside of them. This is the tenor of Te Tiriti o Waitangi doctrine; it is a
sacred pact that provided this country’s dual heritage, the bicultural and bilingual status of our
country that allows us to live and work in an inclusive, equitable and just society.
0 Comments

Minister Seymour on 'Reducing Red Tape'

12/9/2024

0 Comments

 
In case you haven't had a chance to see them, we are resharing Minister Seymour's speeches and press releases here: 

Speech To Early Childhood Education Sector– Reducing Red Tape And Barriers To ECE | Scoop News


 
The OECE press release in response:  Minister Seymour’s ECE “Achievements” In His First Year | Scoop News
​

0 Comments

Latest UNICEF Report

12/9/2024

0 Comments

 
Accurate and timely data are essential to shaping policies that protect children’s rights and creating a world where every child can thrive. On the occasion of World Children's Day, the newly released https://data.unicef.org/resources/sowc-2024/
State of the World’s Children (SOWC) 2024 Statistical Compendium – an essential resource accompanying UNICEF’s flagship report,
The Future of Childhood in a Changing World – provides a comprehensive look at the data behind the issues that will define childhood by 2050.
 
The SOWC report examines global megatrends shaping children’s futures, including demographic shifts, climate crises and technological advancements. The Statistical Compendium complements this with detailed data and granular insights, serving as a vital resource for researchers, advocates and policymakers seeking evidence to inform their work. Together, the report and compendium provide a comprehensive view of the challenges and opportunities facing children by 2050
0 Comments

OMEP WOrld Declaration: Supporting the united nations working towards the decade of early childhood education!

11/5/2024

0 Comments

 
The United Nations (UN) is working towards a Decade for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) to prioritize the well-being and development of children from birth. The goal is to create a global movement that will increase efforts to protect the human rights of children through education and care.

OMEP World has proclaimed 
committed support to promoting a United Nations Decade for Early Childhood Care and Education, aimed at galvanizing international commitment and mobilizing resources to ensure every child has access to high-quality early education and care.

You can support this initiative locally. Watch this space for advocacy events and actions that every interested person can take to enhance understanding about the critical period of the 'first 1000 days' and the role that early childhood education plays in placing children's rights at the forefront of their experience. 
OMEP World
omep-world-declaration-2024-final-eng-.pdf
File Size: 106 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

0 Comments

Terms of reference for the Review of the Early Childhood Regs.

6/15/2024

0 Comments

 
The review of the Early Childhood Education Regulations, being carried out by the Regulation Minister, David Seymour. 

This is to start 'immediately', though actual dates have not yet been announced.  

What are your thoughts from a Children's Rights perspective? Don't be silent when children don't have the chance to speak on this at this time!


"The scope of the review will be broad and will examine the regulatory systems for education, health, safety, child protection, food safety, buildings, and workplaces, as they apply to the early childhood sector."
Regulatory sector review into early childhood education

0 Comments

CRAANZ CAll for action

6/15/2024

0 Comments

 
Please see the CRAANZ Call for action on the repeal of s7AA of the Oranga Tamariki act

CRAANZ CALL FOR ACTION on repeal of s7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act
https://mailchi.mp/bf46ff8b8ced/call-to-action-call-to-action-section-7aa-and-childrens-rights?e=c87746c7b9

​
0 Comments

ARNEC Conference

5/2/2024

0 Comments

 
Want to connect, learn and collaborate with various stakeholders in the Early Childhood field?

Register now for the 2024 Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Early Childhood Development in Penang, Malaysia on 27-30 May 2024 today!

Register Now!


  • Engage with Keynote Addresses by experts and leaders
  • Discuss with ECD stakeholders including government, development partners, academe and civil society organisations
  • Participate in Workshops by experienced trainers and organisations
  • Learn about noteworthy early childhood programs from the region and beyond
  • Connect with ECD leaders, practitioners and advocates during the Cocktail Reception


Topics include: Social and Emotional Learning, ECD and Climate Resilience, Parenting Support and many more!




Download the Conference Program
*An updated program including details of paper presenters will be sent on a later date.
0 Comments

A message from Tick for kids

5/2/2024

0 Comments

 
We have today finalised our results on the Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches Programme children’s consultation.
 
More than 3,500 children participated and overwhelmingly support the programme.  Of the children that participated, 95% (3,300) of the approximately 3,500 children aged between 5-17-years surveyed are in support of "keeping" or "expanding" the programme, while just 3% of children surveyed (94 children) are in favour of removing the programme and 2% (80 children) "don’t know".  Additionally, children shared what the programme means to them, and provided advice on how the programme could be improved. 
 
We have written to Ministers Seymour and Stanford (cc’d Prime Minister and Minister Willis) to inform them of the results and children’s views on the programme.  We have also put out a short report to share the results of the consultation.  Please see attached.

It would be fantastic to hear of any additional ideas to share and promote the findings or keep raising awareness on the issue.
 
Ngā mihi nui,
Jacqui
 
ka_ora_ka_ako__childrens_voices_2024__q1_poll_report_summary_scnz.pdf
File Size: 7575 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    February 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    December 2023
    October 2023

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

      Subscribe

      To OMEP

      News

    Subscribe to Newsletter
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • HOME
  • About
    • National Exec
    • Rōpū Representatives
    • Life and Honorary Members
  • Join
  • News and Hui
    • Exec Hui
    • Events
    • News
  • Resources
    • Expressions of Wai in ECE
    • ESD Environment Rating Scale
    • He Taonga tonu te Tamariki | For Each and Every Child
    • Mitigating Climate Change as a Child's Right Project
    • Extra Resources
  • Rōpū
    • Tāmaki Makaurau
    • Waikato
    • Whanganui a Tara
    • Waitaha
    • Ōtākou
  • Newsletter