The progression of Māori infant mortality policy clearly demonstrates that equitable social policy must be culturally sensitive and inclusive towards disadvantaged groups, as well as willing to adapt to changing circumstances and shortcomings of current policy.
It analyses three policies and how their differences are linked to the corresponding trends in equity between Māori and non-Māori populations. The article is a commentary on a series of policies aimed at reducing infant mortality in New Zealand. To describe and illustrate the need for policy addressing inequities to consider the differential risks associated with disadvantaged groups through an analysis of New Zealand’s Māori infant mortality policy progression. The consideration of differential risks is important in analyzing the underlying causes of inequities and social policy deficiencies. Literature on these policies show that differential risks may include disparities in representation, access to resources, socioeconomic status, and racism.
Specifically, the failure of the initial 1991 reform in addressing Māori infant health, followed by the relative success of post-1994 policy, demonstrate that disadvantaged populations carry differential social risks which require adjusting policy accordingly. The history of infant mortality inequities among Māori in New Zealand provides a remarkable case study for understanding the shortcomings of policy which fails to consider the differential risks associated with disadvantaged groups.
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