The nation must strengthen its child protection efforts.

Every year, as the holiday season slows the country and newsrooms scramble to fill empty column space, a strange pattern emerges. Stories appear that would normally be buried beneath the noise of politics, sport, and celebrity chatter. Statistics surface—raw, uncomfortable, and revealing. This year, two sets of numbers stood out with chilling clarity: child abuse and abortion. For Christians, these are not merely “issues.” They are moral fault lines exposing the spiritual condition of a nation.

New Zealand’s record on both fronts is nothing short of shocking.

According to Child Matters chief executive Jane Searle, a child in New Zealand died every six and a half weeks last year from abuse or neglect. Many more suffered life‑altering injuries, and thousands continue to live with trauma “as their regular reality.” Even more disturbing, Searle notes that these statistics have barely shifted in a decade. In a country that prides itself on compassion and fairness, this should shake us to our core.

Scripture is unambiguous about the value of children. “Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalm 127:3). Jesus Himself warned, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck” (Matthew 18:6). God’s heart for the vulnerable is fierce, and His judgment on those who harm them is severe.

Yet while child abuse spirals upward, another tragedy unfolds quietly under the banner of “choice.” Since abortion was liberalised, New Zealand has become one of the easiest places in the world to end a pregnancy. Recent figures show a 35% rise in abortions over the past few years. We now terminate enough unborn children annually to populate a medium‑sized town—while countless women across the country grieve infertility, miscarriage, or the loss of the opportunity to adopt.

It is hard not to hear echoes of the Old Testament prophets who condemned Israel for sacrificing their children on the altars of convenience and cultural pressure. “They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters” (Psalm 106:38). Today, the altars look different, but the moral reality is painfully similar.

And yet, every January, as if to add a layer of irony, media outlets publish cheerful lists of the “Top 20 Baby Names of the Year”—celebrating those fortunate enough to survive the womb.

New Zealanders, even in an age of declining moral standards, are entitled to the basic protections of a civil society. When a government fails to safeguard its most vulnerable citizens—born or unborn—it is, as global leaders often note, a “serious matter” and a betrayal of its fundamental obligations. Searle is right: with an election approaching, a bipartisan commitment to child protection is urgently needed. But Christians must go further. We must call our nation back to righteousness.

Proverbs 31:8 commands us: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” That includes the abused child, the unborn child, and the struggling mother who deserves support rather than silence.

New Zealand stands at a crossroads. The statistics are not just numbers—they are a mirror. And Scripture reminds us that God holds nations accountable for how they treat the least among them.

May we not be found wanting.