Mana Mokopuna has paid tribute to outgoing Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad, acknowledging her leadership, independence and unwavering commitment to protecting the rights and wellbeing of children and young people across Aotearoa.
Dr Achmad’s term concludes on 31 July 2026, bringing to an end a tenure that began with her appointment as Chief Children’s Commissioner in 2023 before she became New Zealand’s sole Children’s Commissioner in 2025 under the new governance model established by the Children’s Commissioner Act 2022.
During her time in office, Dr Achmad became a prominent advocate for the country’s 1.2 million mokopuna, consistently placing children’s rights at the centre of national conversations and holding governments to account over policies affecting young people.
Mana Mokopuna says her leadership strengthened public awareness of children’s voices while driving greater scrutiny of the state care system. She played an important role in advocating for the implementation of recommendations from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care and continued highlighting the experiences of tamariki and rangatahi living in care.
Beyond state care, Dr Achmad consistently raised concerns about child poverty, barriers to education, mental health and child maltreatment. Throughout her tenure, she argued that government decisions should be assessed through the lens of children’s rights and long-term wellbeing.
A defining feature of her leadership was direct engagement with children and young people throughout Aotearoa. Rather than relying solely on policy advice, Dr Achmad prioritised listening to mokopuna, ensuring their experiences, aspirations and concerns informed her advocacy and were heard by decision-makers.
Mana Mokopuna Executive Director Sonya Marshall says Dr Achmad leaves a lasting legacy of courageous, independent advocacy and helped guide the organisation through a period of significant structural change while maintaining a strong focus on the voices of children and young people.
The organisation has confirmed its statutory role under the Children’s Commissioner Act 2022 remains unchanged and preparations are underway for a smooth transition to the incoming Children’s Commissioner, who will take office on 1 August 2026. Monitoring, advocacy and oversight functions will continue without interruption.
For Māori communities, Dr Achmad’s work has been particularly significant given the over-representation of Māori children within the state care system and the ongoing calls to ensure tamariki Māori are supported within culturally safe environments connected to their whānau, hapū and iwi.
As Aotearoa prepares for new leadership at Mana Mokopuna, Dr Achmad leaves behind a record of championing children’s rights and ensuring the voices of mokopuna remained firmly on the national agenda.
#ManaMokopuna #ChildrensCommissioner #ClaireAchmad #Mokopuna #ChildrensRights #Tamariki #StateCare #Māori #ChildWellbeing #MentalHealth #Education #Aotearoa #WaateaNews #RadioWaatea
