Salvation Army report highlights glaring disparities facing Pasifika

This is the transcript for Will’s Word…

The recent report by the Salvation Army highlights both progress and ongoing challenges for Pacific communities in Aotearoa.

It’s encouraging to see youth suicide rates halve and the number of young offenders drop significantly.

Employment numbers have also nearly doubled,which is fantastic.

However, here's the kicker. Child poverty and housing affordability continue to plague Pacific families, with rising rents making it difficult to secure stable homes.

Educational achievement is lagging, as evidenced by declining school attendance rates among Pacific students.

The gains we've made are solid and I don’t want to diminish that - but we cannot overlook the disparities that still exist.

So what's the solution to all this? That’s the big question right?

Targeted investments in housing, education, and community support are pretty crucial.