Who is Cindy Kiro?

When Cindy Kiro was appointed as Children's Commissioner in 2003, the Commission put this bio on their webste.

"Dr Kiro has a PhD in Social Policy and has worked mainly in the area of public health and advocacy for children and young people. She is married and mother to two young men and is of Ngapuhi descent.

She worked as a social worker, researcher, manager and has maintained strong community links within Waitakere City where she has lived for many years. Dr Kiro has taken leave from her position as Associate Professor and Director of Waiora Centre for Public Health Research to take up the appointment as Commissioner.

She has also resigned a number of appointments on the National Health Committee and Public Health Advisory Committee, Casino Control Authority, Child Policy Reference Group (within Ministry of Social Policy), Health Research Council and Healthwest, in order to take up the position.

She has vowed to work to bring together a cohesive and effective children’s movement in New Zealand, recognising the contribution of NGOs and community organisations, Iwi, Maori and Pasifika organisations, young peoples networks and government agencies to addressing key problems like child poverty and violence against children. The Commissioner will focus on advocating for Children’s Rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as a key focus to the Office’s work in the future."

Cindy Kiro was also;

1988, a member of The Whare Hui Trust which ran Maori units at Carrington Hospital, Auckland

1992, appointed executive director of Greenpeace NZ.

June 1993, a keynote speaker at the Peace, Power and Politics conference in Wellington. This conference was attended by several hundred peace activists and socialists from NZ and abroad.

Late '90s, on the board of Greenpeace International. Kiro regularly travelled to GP's Amsterdam HQ for meetings.

1998, with Dr Ian Hassall, Dr Alison Blaiklock and Dr Colin Tukuitonga, the recipient of a $197,405 grant from the Health Research Council, for the development of indicators to describe the health and well being of children and young people.

2002, one of several authors (which included Alison Blaiklock) of a UNICEF commissioned report on child poverty in NZ. It is worth noting that Blaiklock was in 2003 on the committee of the Child Poverty Action Group. In 1996 Blaiklock coordinated the NGO's report, Action for Children in Aotearoa 1996, to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

2002, attended the UN World Summit on Sustainability in Johannesburg. Dr Kiro was invited by Prime Minister, Helen Clark to attend as one of two indigenous representatives. Said Kiro"I have had a long standing interest in environmental and social justice issues and the whole agenda was basically about that. I attended a number of indigenous peoples’ forums to prepare a report to the Government on these issues.