Vine Quick Reads: 28 November 2025

Vine Quick Reads: 28 November 2025

Welcome to our Quick Reads format. Each week we share selected news bites relevant to family violence and sexual violence in Aotearoa.

UNICEF release State of the World’s Children 2025 report

UNICEF has published their 2025 State of the World’s Children report, Ending child poverty: our shared imperative (2025). The report documents the gains made in addressing child poverty worldwide and the factors associated with this. It also examines how the climate crisis, rising conflict, and the development funding crisis undermine current efforts, threatening to undo existing progress.

New report: Violence against women prevalence estimates, 2023 (2025)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released the Violence against women prevalence estimates, 2023: global, regional, and national prevalence estimates for intimate partner violence against women and non-partner sexual violence against women (2025). The report provides updated estimates based on a comprehensive review of prevalence data from surveys and studies conducted between 2000 and 2023. For more, see the WHO’s media release and RNZ’s coverage.

Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Bill passes into law

The Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Bill has become law after it passed its third reading in Parliament and received Royal Assent on 26 November 2025. It will take effect in May 2026. The new law criminalises stalking as a separate and distinct criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison. Stalking is defined in the law as a pattern of behaviour (two or more specified acts within a 2-year period) which the offender knows is likely to cause the victim fear or distress. For more, see RNZ’s coverage, including their interview with Leonie Morris from Aotearoa Free from Stalking.

Ministry for Women seeking NGO delegate for UN forum on the status of women

Manatū Wāhine | Ministry for Women is seeking applications for the NGO delegate on the New Zealand Government delegation to the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). The priority theme for CSW70 is strengthening women’s access to justice. The primary role of the NGO delegate is to liaise with and advocate for NZ-based NGOs and the Government delegation. The Ministry for Women will provide up to $10,000 NZD to support the participation of an NGO delegate at CSW70. Information on the selection criteria and the application process are available at the link above or by emailing caucus@women.govt.nz. Applications close Friday 12 December 2025.

UN calls for input on death penalty and its compatibility with the prohibition of torture

The UN Special Rapporteur on summary, extrajudicial or arbitrary executions is seeking input for their report on the death penalty from the perspective of the prohibition against torture and other forms of ill-treatment and the protection of human dignity. One of the report’s objectives is to analyse discriminatory patterns (and consequences of such) in the way the death penalty is carried out. It will also look at how capital punishment impacts vulnerable persons and their families. The call for input closes 28 February 2026.