On Monday December 9, a new national awareness campaign was launched which aims to prevent FASD by raising awareness of the risks of alcohol-exposed pregnancies.

We wholeheartedly support ‘Nurture the Future Within – Keep Pregnancy Alcohol-Free’ campaign and its positive messaging, especially around the role of whānau and community in supporting hapū māmā / pregnant women to avoid alcohol. It's a website with a beautiful message: every wāhine / woman is a 'future ancestor' of our children and mokopuna and by investing in alcohol-free pregnancies, we are investing in our collective future.

We fully endorse the key messages of the campaign: prevention is the main goal, there is collective responsibility around that goal, there is actionable guidance in terms of contraception or planned pregnancies, and we are shaping our future with a community-driven approach. 

In a two-minute video on the website you can meet the group of young wāhine who have co-designed this kaupapa, Te Kapa Manawa / 'the heartbeat' in te reo Māori –  (they were at the launch, left). They speak of their communities and their passion to make a difference – they are planning to spread the 'keep pregnancy alcohol-free' message and also to find out more about how to support those with FASD to live their best lives.  

FASD-CAN's focus remains what it has always been: supporting people living with FASD now, alongside their caregivers and whānau, and we look forward to future mahi which may highlight the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, lessen stigma and support them.

Click here to read the Government's press release on the campaign. In it, Dr Shane Reti says, “Our goal is for New Zealand to be a place where the prevalence of FASD and its impacts are well understood, individuals and families with FASD are well supported and women are supported to have alcohol-free pregnancies.”

Click here to read our press release regarding the campaign.