Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission is calling on all political parties to commit to fully implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care – two years after the final report was released.
In 2017, the Commission launched the E Kore Āno (Never Again) campaign calling for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. Thanks to advocacy from survivors and support from people across Aotearoa New Zealand, the Royal Commission was eventually established in 2018.
Eight years on, Human Rights Commission Tatau-Uruora (Chief Executive) Meg de Ronde says the findings of the Inquiry represent “a clear roadmap for how we can transform our care system and lay the foundations for a thriving Aotearoa.”
“Many survivors have waited too long for justice. The recommendations provide a clear and achievable package for redress, and how we ensure such abuse does not happen again.”
The Commission is launching a new public campaign aimed at mobilising nationwide support and ensuring the issue remains a priority for decision-makers.
To mark the beginning of this campaign, Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report, Erica Stanford, and her parliamentary colleagues have been invited to receive a bouquet of flowers on the steps of Parliament. They will be hand delivered by a group of survivors of Abuse in Care, together with Human Rights Commission Tatau-Uruora (Chief Executive) Meg de Ronde, as well as supporters, whānau and mana whenua.
The flowers and foliage have been gathered from known places of abuse around the country – including the former sites of Ōwairaka Boys’ Home, Porirua Psychiatric Hospital and Marylands School in Christchurch. This symbolic arrangement has also been wrapped in cloth printed with all 233 recommendations from the Inquiry.
This bouquet represents the lives, experiences, and strength of survivors, and the hope that the Royal Commission’s recommendations will be implemented with diligence and care.
This moment is intended as a gesture of remembrance and acknowledgement to uphold the wishes of survivors, and will take place ahead of the two-year anniversary of the Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Whanaketia Report, on the morning of Wednesday 22 July.
“The Commission has a long record of involvement with advocating for justice for survivors of abuse and we have a responsibility to ensure that their experiences and their hopes and aspirations for redress are not forgotten,” de Ronde says.
“Together, we must ensure these recommendations are implemented in full – and that abuse in care never happens again.”
To follow along with the campaign, follow us on social media using the links at the bottom of the page.
Hear more from survivors and learn how you can support them at honourthepromise.co.nz