The Children of New Zealand

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The Children of New Zealand

You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your relatives. Neither can you choose your parents or your place of birth. If you could any sensible foetus would choose at least twenty other countries to be born in rather then New Zealand. New Zealand's children's needs are being seriously neglected. This essay will challenge New Zealand's performance in child health and welfare. Looking at the widespread abuse of children, the growing rate of violent youth crime, and the effects of a damaged cultural environment.

New Zealand children are born with grossly unequal opportunities for health. Professor Gluckman (Prof. Of paediatrics at the Auckland University School of Medicine) said,

“The state of our children's health is not what it should be. Relative to other comparable countries our children are sicker and get poorly treated. About 200 children die in their first year of life in New Zealand who would not if they live in Australia or elsewhere in the Western world... We admit children with diseases that should not exist – rheumatic fever is rite; TB still occurs.”

Were New Zealand's children equal to the rest of the world we would not see such a high understaffing of paediatric services. For example, in New Zealand there is one paediatrician for every 3,400 children, whereas in the U.S.A., even with its much larger population, there is one for every 1,300. The simple truth behind this, is that there is not an appropriate share of funds being assigned to child health. Dr Liz Segedin, a Paediatric Intensivist, believes the limitations of the endlessly awaited children's hospital in Auckland reflect the low status of children's health in New Zealand.

“They’ll be no spec...

... middle of paper ...

...through this traumatic experience remember it forever. Looking at the pictures and poems done by victims brings tears to the eyes to realise the tragic memories they hold. It is so disturbing that such vulnerable persons are put through such a horrendous situation. This and other elements of a child's life are what increase the numbers of young offenders who continue the cycle of abuse.

“Children are the only group in New Zealand society who can be locked up without a court order....

Who are removed from their homes for the crimes of others...

Who can be beaten without it being an assault.”

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Questioning the readiness with which New Zealand society permits children, despite our affluence to... suffer neglect and ill-health. The children of New Zealand do not deserve the suffering nor the ignorance of the nation.

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