8th July 2024
Youth Homelessness in Aotearoa New Zealand: A Breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and UNDRIP

Tēnā koutou,

I urgently call upon the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to address the growing crisis of youth homelessness among rangatahi (young people) in Aotearoa New Zealand. The New Zealand government’s failure to provide adequate housing for rangatahi Māori constitutes a clear breach of its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Key points:

  1. Te Tiriti o Waitangi, signed in 1840, guarantees Māori the same rights and privileges as British subjects, including the right to adequate housing. The government’s failure to ensure housing for rangatahi violates and breaches Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 
  2. UNDRIP, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2007, affirms the rights of Indigenous peoples to self-determination, equality, and freedom from discrimination. Article 21 specifically recognises the right to improved housing. New Zealand’s endorsement of UNDRIP obligates the government to uphold these rights for rangatahi.
  3. Despite these obligations, youth homelessness disproportionately affects Māori and Pacific communities. Nearly 50% of those experiencing severe housing deprivation are under 25 years old, with rates significantly higher among Pacific and Māori rangatahi compared to other ethnicities. This disparity highlights the government’s failure to address systemic inequalities.
  4. The Waitangi Tribunal’s report, “Kāinga Kore: The Stage One Report of the Housing Policy and Services Kaupapa Inquiry on Māori Homelessness,” primarily evaluates the Crown’s response to Māori homelessness. It emphasises the lack of support for homeless rangatahi and highlights breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles related to active protection and good governance.
  5. The retraction of rangatahi transitional housing funding in the 2024 budget further exacerbates this crisis. This decision directly contradicts the government’s commitments under Te Tiriti and UNDRIP, and will likely lead to increased homelessness and associated negative outcomes for rangatahi.

I implore the Expert Mechanism to:

  1. Condemn the New Zealand government’s breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and UNDRIP in relation to rangatahi housing.
  2. Demand the immediate reinstatement and expansion of targeted funding for rangatahi transitional housing.
  3. Recommend the review of relevant government policies, including the Maihi Ka Ora Māori housing strategy, to address the root causes of youth homelessness in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Urgent action is needed to uphold the rights of rangatahi and ensure a future where all young people in Aotearoa New Zealand have access to safe, secure, and culturally appropriate housing.

Ngā mihi nui,

Jacqueline Paul, BLA, MPhil (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tuwharetoa) 

Researcher
Pūrangakura Kaupapa Māori Research Centre
Email: jackie.paul@purangakura.co.nz
Phone: +64 2102946093