Traditional marriage - foundation for a healthy society!

Media Release 4 September 2025

Right to Life supports God’s loving plan for the propagation of the human race, through the institution of marriage, which comprises exclusively one woman and one man in cooperation with our Creator. This is the foundation of a healthy society. Cohabitation of unmarried couples is not part of God’s plan. We should all be concerned at the declining rate of marriages, and the increase of cohabiting couples and solo parenting.

Right to Life applauds the courageous and heroic women, as solo mothers, who are caring for one in five children in New Zealand. In 2023, there were 213 534 solo mothers with children in New Zealand., According to the 2023 census there were an estimated 900,000 married couples residing in New Zealand.

It is disappointing that Statistics NZ has recently reported, that the number of marriages and civil unions recorded in New Zealand in 2024 was 18,033, a 4% drop from 2023, and a 10% drop over the last 10 years. Marriages were at their highest rate in 1971 (45.49 per cent), but since then traditional marriage numbers have plummeted.

Right to Life is concerned at the increase in the number of cohabiting couples in New Zealand. In 2022, the latest statistics provided revealed that cohabiting couples comprised 22% of all couples.

Right to Life believes that cohabitation exploits women and undermines their safety and security. We believe that the majority of women desire marriage and child rearing recognising that they need a commitment from the father of their children to provide for the family and to protect it. Why are many men not prepared to make this commitment?

It is disturbing that today the majority of babies are born to unmarried mothers. It is also disturbing that our birth rate continues to decline below the population replacement level and it is currently 1.56. We need a birth rate of 2.1 to reach replacement level. New Zealand last had a replacement level of births in 2013.

It is encouraging that the divorce rate continues to decline, currently 7.5 per 1000 people. It is estimated that 20% of marriages end in divorce within five years and 33% of marriages within ten years. Research reveals that 49% of cohabiting couples cease their relationship within 5 years and 62% within ten years.

Right to Life is committed to promoting traditional marriage for the happiness and welfare of our community, and for the protection of women and their children.

Ken Orr,

Spokesperson,

Right to Life New Zealand Inc.