It’s always rewarding for researchers to see their work making an impact on the world. Since it’s release, the study of undocumented Tuvaluan overstayers living in Aotearoa/New Zealand conducted by Unitec’s School of Healthcare and Social Practices Senior Lecturers Dr Hoa Nguyen and David Kenkel has garnered considerable media attention. The most recent development is that it has now gone before the Parliament’s Education and Workforce Committee to consider. As part of this, the Committee asked for a briefing from the Human Rights Commission on the human rights implications.
Read more about the select committee here
Dr Hoa Nguyen and David Kenkel
Although Hoa and David are delighted to see the study has progressed this far, they know that there is a lot of work still to be done.
“These hope seekers were and are contributing to New Zealand society in so many different ways (economically, culturally, etc.). Yet, they are being denied basic human rights (right to job, healthcare, and education). Their children are being ripped of future opportunities and being pushed into hardship no matter how smart and creative they are. All they need is a chance, a chance to contribute. What we want to see next is an amnesty for all hope seekers in NZ, a pathway for them to gain residency and citizenship, an overturn of the 2006 amendment to the Citienship Act so that children who are born in New Zealand are entitled to NZ citizenship or permanent residency.”
Read more about the study and media coverage here
What critical research this is in support of an important cause. Thank you for educating the public on these issues. I didn’t know that in 2006 the citizenship laws were changed to exclude those born in Aotearoa/NZ to non-citizen, non-resident parents – what a disgrace… I truly hope that this research will lead to a greater scrutiny of this change and that our country can demonstrate ngākau māhaki to all within our boarders.
great work Hoa 🙂
Awesome. Great to see the research reach those levels and hopefully transform policy.
A timely and courageous piece of research in the area of human rights, around an area that is widely misunderstood and misrepresented. The plight of overstayers and their families is a blight on the way New Zealand portrays itself on the world stage and needs to be addressed urgently. Congratulations Hoa and David!