Signed, Sealed But Not Delivered
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child popular, but hard to enforce
Embassy, By Sarah McGregor, April 13th, 2005
The construction of a legal framework required to fully satisfy obligations under a United Nations convention to protect children will be an ongoing process in Canada, Justice Minister Irwin Cotler told the Senate Human Rights Committee on Monday.
Mr. Cotler said that each new law or regulation passed by Parliament will continue to obey the rules of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as with all international norms. However, he stopped short of endorsing complete compliance with each one of the Convention's elements, some of which have provoked controversy since its UN approval over 15 years ago. More ..
Canadian appointed U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
Louise Arbour took up her duties on July 1, 2004 as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Her term in office will end in June 2008.
Mrs. Arbour was a member of the Supreme Court of Canada immediately preceding her appointment to the UN as Commissioner for Human Rights.
About the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most ratified of all the United Nations Human Rights treaties. The treaty affirms and describes the fundamental human rights of all children (all human beings below the age of 18), and the governments that have ratified it have legally agreed to fulfill its provisions. The CRC forms the most comprehensive and well-established international standard for children's rights and provides the framework for the actions of UNICEF, the UN children's agency.
Children's rights are also protected under the other UN human rights instruments, which include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, International Labour Organization Conventions and numerous other documents.
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child is the body that monitors how well States are meeting their obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. When a country ratifies the Convention, it assumes a legal obligation to implement the rights recognized in the treaty. But signing up is only the first step, because recognition of rights on paper is not sufficient to guarantee that they will be enjoyed in practice. So the country incurs an additional obligation to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights are being implemented. This system of human rights monitoring is common to all UN human rights treaties.
193 States parties that have ratified the Convention as of November, 2007. Canada signed the Convention on May 28th, 1990 and ratified the Convention on December 13th, 1991.
To meet their reporting obligation, States must report initially two years after joining and then every five years. In addition to the government report, the Committee receives information on a country's human rights situation from other sources, including non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, other intergovernmental organizations, academic institutions and the press. In the light of all the information available, the Committee examines the report together with government representatives. Based on this dialogue, the Committee publishes its concerns and recommendations, referred to as concluding observations.
The Committee also publishes its interpretation of the content of human rights provisions, known as General Comments, and General Recommendations on thematic issues or its methods of work. It also holds public discussions, or Days of General Discussion, on particular issues such as "Violence against children".
Computer print a copy of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and read it to your family.
Computer printer prepared version in PDF
view/download english français
The U.N. Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1959) More ..
Canada's Declarations and Reservations to the Convention on the Rights of the Child More ..
A World Fit for Children
A World Fit for Children is the plan of action and declaration that was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children. It outlines an international series of goals, strategies and actions for children including under the areas of promoting healthy lives; providing quality education; protection from abuse, exploitation and violence; and combating HIV/AIDS.
Canada's Reports to the United Nation's Committee on the Rights of the Child
This is a complete subsection of our website. It includes lists of delegates, NGOs, all reports in both english and french in both html (normal web pages) and pdf files.
This section of our website was greatly expanded during October, 2005 Click here
Canada's National Plan of Action: A Canada Fit for Children (2004)
Read our web pages, the plan and our analysis click here
U.N. Children's Rights Committee - Canada denies Birthright
From the Adoption
Council of Canada
CANADA DENIES CHILDREN'S
BIRTHRIGHT: U.N. REPORT
Senator Landon Pearson's "National Plan of Action: A Canada Fit for Children" Seriously Flawed
Exclusive to the Canadian Children's Rights Council, by Ron Murdock, Canadian citizen living in The Netherlands, September 27th, 2004 More ..
U.N. COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD:
Committee Opens 38th Session
[GENEVA, 10 January 2005] - The Committee on the Rights of the Child yesterday opened its winter session by hearing an address by the United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Mehr Khan Williams. It also adopted its agenda and programme of work. More ..
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN CANADA: A REVIEW OF PROVINCIAL POLICIES - 1997
By Richard Volpe, Ph.D., Professor and Director
The Dr. R.G.N. Laidlaw Research Centre
Institute of Child Study
OISE/University of Toronto
More..