MENZ Issues: news and discussion about New Zealand men, fathers, family law, divorce, courts, protests, gender politics, and male health.

Nelson police are unapologetic for arresting a man shortly after his partner gave birth to a baby girl they say is drug-dependent due to the mother’s drug addiction.

The five-day-old baby has been placed into the interim care of Child, Youth and Family after police concerns about the mother’s drug habit and the arrest of the baby’s father Warwick James for breach of bail.

James said he was approached by Detective Sergeant Tony Bernards minutes after the birth of his daughter on Sunday morning and hospital staff were in tears as he was taken to a nearby foyer and told he was to go to the Nelson police station.

“I said I did not think this was a very appropriate time and could he come back later,” he said.

“They could have waited until the next day. I wasn’t going anywhere.”

The New Zealand Law Society’s October 2004 Advanced Counsel for Child Workshop at Waipuna Lodge in Auckland was the target of a Union of Fathers protest last Monday.

Men have long complained that counsels for child often act as a second lawyer for the mother, and typically fail to protect the father/child relationship. Union of Fathers members say that the generous fees paid to lawyers who help remove fathers from families would be better utilised in mediation, conflict resolution and communication courses, and other interventions which aim to allow children continuing contact with both their parents following a relationship break-up.

One reporter from a local paper turned up to cover the protest, but as none of the superheros present were prepared to undertake dramatic or disruptive actions, television reporters were not interested. Fortunately, menz.org.nz has obtained video footage of the event for your entertainment:

Download Counsel for Child protest video here [486KB .wmv]

A small but dedicated bunch of men women and children (plus a “parrot” – centre of photo behind cake) turned up to celebrate the 10th Aniversary of Men’s Centre North Shore. Several super-heroes were in attendance. Jack Lioneagle’s protest songs were played loudly, Speights was sunk and cake was eaten.

The evening’s most enthusiastically received toast was “that in another 10 years the Men’s Centre would be redundant”.

The Ministry of Youth Development (formerly Youth Affairs) have recently produced a literature review on Young Males that I thought I would post on this site.

Launched by the Hon John Tamihere, Minister of Youth Affairs, the publication Young Males: Strengths-based and male-focused approaches is anticipated to be of great interest to all people who work with the young men of New Zealand. Young Males: Strengths-based and male-focused approaches can be downloaded here.

There are a number of male youth behaviours within New Zealand that have been identified as a cause for concern. Often these behaviours place people, property, or the young men themselves at risk. Young men are disproportionately represented in areas such as leaving school without qualifications, unemployment, justice sector interactions and a number of high health risk behaviours including motor vehicle accidents and youth suicide.

The Ministry of Youth Development recognises that a number of agencies and organisations currently deliver programmes, initiatives and interventions to assist young males in areas of their lives where they could be doing better. The literature review explores two proposed strategies for improving programme outcomes for young men, these are: strengths-based approaches and male-focused delivery styles.

There has not been a lot of work conducted into how gender-related factors contribute to programme recruitment, retention or outcomes. The findings do, however, identify a number of areas where the experiences, feelings, behaviours and needs of young males differ from those of young females.

It should be noted that this is one of the first government publications to record young men not as “at risk” of poor outcomes, but as inherently “at promise” of healthy lives. This strengths-based approach is seen as a significant tool when working with young men. Young men are not a problem to be fixed, but rather an enthusiastic and vibrant source of energy which can be directed positively.

I trust that you will find this publication of interest and that we can work together to promote the potential benefits that the acknowledgement of gender may bring.