Hui focuses on eliminating family violence and sexual violence

First ever annual hui and National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence signal progress towards the goal of eliminating family and sexual violence.

Minister Davidson confirmed on 27 July at the first ever annual hui to take stock of the work underway to ensure all children, families and whānau can thrive in safe homes and communities.

Speaking to more than 900 representatives of government agencies, tangata whenua, service providers, and communities, Minister Davidson said the Government is on track to deliver all 40 actions in the first action plan for Te Aorerekura - Aotearoa New Zealand’s first ever National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence.

“I am proud of the progress we are making to ensure Aotearoa is a place where everyone can live a life free of family violence and sexual violence,” Minister Davidson said.

“Launched only recently, Te Aorerekura is already delivering results. For example, the primary prevention and community-led responses that are so importantly prioritised in Te Aorerekura received a significant boost in this year’s Budget,” she said.

“We have also launched new family violence workforce capability frameworks for organisations and practitioners, so more people have the knowledge and skills they need to respond appropriately to violence and enable long-term healing.”

Last month, the minister appointed the Tangata Whenua Ministerial Advisory Group, which will provide her with independent advice on bestpractice solutions and approaches for working with, and for Māori whānau.

“Clearly we have a lot of work still to do but I am really proud of the direction we are heading in. Every one of the actions we have taken, both big and small, will add up to a better, safer future for Aotearoa. I know the communities attending today’s hui have been wanting to see this progress for a very long time.

“Te Aorerekura was developed through an inclusive process of engagement and belongs to all of us. I am so proud of this and the work we are doing to move away from the siloed approaches of the past towards much more collaborative processes.”

Progress made in implementing Te Aorerekura, include continued development of integrated community responses, which are aimed at shifting the way government funds and works with communities to ensure responses to violence are whānau-centric and community-led, recognising the best solutions more often come from within communities.

Budget 2022 invests $37.6m into primary prevention initiatives including E Tū Whānau, Pasefika Proud, and the Campaign for Action on Family Violence as well as supporting the development of new prevention approaches for ethnic communities, older people, and youth.

Funding has been allocated to 11 projects to help prevent elder abuse through the Elder Abuse Prevention Fund.