A CHANGE FOR CHILDREN PUBLICATION

Rights and RealitiesCreating possibilities for children

Rights and RealitiesCreating possibilities for children

PAGE 6

Bridges INSIDE

Beyond Walls and Murals -Rights In Action

Alternatives to Child Labor,Bolivia; Human Rightsand Art, Nicaragua

No SWEAT - An Epidemicof Positive Change

FA

LL

20

07 B U I L D I N G

JUST ChristmasJustice at Christmas is a global marketplace for quality arts,handmade crafts and other goods. When you purchase a giftfrom the non-profit and charitable organizations in this market, the money you spend goes towards thebuilding of healthy communities around the world.

The event includes Change for Children and 25different non-profit and charitable organizationsthat represent causes critical to the improvementof conditions for people in developing nations.

Friday, November 23from 5:30 – 9:00 pmSaturday, November 24from 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

New location:Alberta Avenue Community Hallat 9210-118 Avenue, Edmonton.

justchristmas.org

ChristmasFuture is a new way to give a holiday gift - one that helps eradicate extreme poverty and changesthe way we think about ourselves and our motivations for giving.

On November 5th, 2007 ChristmasFuture (based out of Calgary, AB) released new web-based technologyon www.christmasfuture.org which allows the gift recipient to choose from a database of projects where the

gift funds are directed. Change for Children is delighted to be a part of this exciting new initiative.Please visit www.christmasfuture.org and look for Change for Children projects!

Gifts of Solidarity Cards supporting our international projects are also available for your Holiday gift giving.Simply let us know with your donation† to whom you want your card to be sent.

Contact CFCA via phone, email or in person at the office.

Change for Children’s

ANNUALCHRISTMAS

OPENHOUSE

QJoin board and staff to celebrate

the holiday season on

December 72007

5:00 – 9:00 PM

QEveryone is welcomeand food and drinks

are provided.

Q

Change for Children is proud to be a project partner in

02

In This IssueFrom the Editor: Focus on Rights of the Child

PHOTOS: ???

CHANGE FOR CHILDREN ASSOCIATION (CFCA) is an Edmonton-based non-profit, non-governmentalorganization with a 31-year history of working for sustainable, grassroots community development inLatin America and Africa. Our development projects, their cost and priority, are determined by ourSouthern partners according to the current needs of their communities. In Canada, our Global Educationprogram engages the public in a process of awareness raising, analysis and action on issues of global jus-tice. While CFCA highly values its partnerships with communities of various religious and political persua-sions, we are a non-sectarian, non-partisan society.

Registered Charitable Organization No. 11884 9496 RR0001

Building Bridges is published twice annuallyby Change for Children as part of our educationprogram. The views expressed by the publica-tion are not necessarily those of Change forChildren Association.

CFCA Office:10808 –124 Street, 2nd FloorEdmonton, AB, T5M 0H3Ph: 780.448-1505 | Fx: 780.448.1507www.changeforchildren.orgcfca@changeforchildren.org

Beyond Walls andMuralsProject H.O.P.E. par-ticipants experiencerights in action with

FunARTE in NicaraguaPage 3

No SWEAT ‘07Messages of globalawareness and posi-tive consumerchoice

Page 4

International: Children’s RightsChild labour inBolivia; Arts buildcommunities andyouth leadership inNicaragua

Page 5

Rights and RealitiesWhere are we, inpractical terms, withthe status of 'chil-dren's rights' andchildren's needs?

Page 6

EDITORS: Fiona Cavanagh and Beth Hunter

Christmas Shopping and Justice

This winter edition focuses on the Rights of Children as of 2007: both whathas been achieved and what remains to be done. Change for Children, 31years ago, recognized the enormous impact that poverty has on the wellbeing and development of children, and made a commitment to addressthe root causes of poverty. As we celebrate this holiday season, let us com-mit again to justice for all children. According to the International LabourOrganization, as of 2001, there were 71.3 million child labourers in Africaand 19.7 million in Latin America. Children worldwide are continuallydenied access to the most basic of human needs.

We enjoy abundance in our society, and never more so than during the hol-iday season. Billions of dollars are spent on gifts, often made by children orwomen working in unhealthy and unjust conditions. This season let usreflect on the work that we can do, and the innovative solutions that ourinternational partners are implementing, to ensure that children thrive.Thank you to everyone who has supported Children for Children this yearand generously contributed to solutions, to human dignity, healthy com-munities, and global justice. In this holiday season, let us give the gift of sol-idarity, and end poverty for all children.

Sincerely,Fiona Cavanagh – Education Coordinator

Agence canadienne de développement international

Canadian International Development Agency

07

jobs for them to enter? Conflict,social exclusion, poverty, sexism,and environmental destruction arejust a few of the many necessaryelements, therefore, that are relat-ed and crucial to consider whenattempting to grasp the 'status' ofchildren's rights in 2007.

In this sense, while the establish-ment of children's rights may haveshifted the attention of children'sneeds to a format easier to 'man-age' or quantify, there remainsmuch further to go. As opposed tosolely engaging with the rhetoricof rights, there remains a greatnecessity, perhaps now more than

context of children's lives. Beyondsimply looking at the managementand/or rhetoric of rights, to look atthe actualization of rights requiresnot just the examination of out-comes and numbers, but also tocommitment towards context.What good are increased formaleducation statistics if the quality ofthe schools is poor? If the studentsare too hungry to concentrate?What good is the elimination ofchild labor if it means a notabledecreased quality of life becausethe children and their families aredependent on that wage? Whatgood does job training do for for-mer child soldiers, if there are no

ever, for policy makers, agencyheads, and child advocates toengage with the context and struc-tures of children's daily lives, thesubstance of which can often bedifficult to 'measure'.

_________________________________________

Mikaela Luttrell-Rowland is aresearcher for the University of Bathin the department of Economics andInternational Development. Herresearch interests include the politicsof representation and child rights,cross-comparative theories of child-hood institutional policy enactment,with a particular area focus on Peru.

06

Feature BY MIKAELA LUTTRELL-ROWLAND

Rights and RealitiesWhat has been achieved for Children globally?

on, difference. Often compared towomen's rights or AfricanAmerican rights for this reason,the establishment of the CRCmarked the prospect for a deepen-ing of commitment to children'srights and raised attention fromstates, governments and localchild advocates. This opportunityfor increased awareness towardsdifference is something that hasrightly been celebrated.Conceptualizing children as theirown distinct category deserving ofrights, therefore, has perhapsmade it easier for those workingfor and with children to articulatechildren's needs in a different way.

What is the status of 'children'srights' in 2007?

I recently had the opportunityto interview a range of directorsand policy heads of NGO's, inLima, Peru, about the state of 'chil-dren's rights' in 2007. One of thequestions I asked is: 'What do youthink is the difference, if any,between children's rights andhuman rights?' Surprisingly,answer was more difficult for peo-ple to articulate than I expected.

One of the first and most commonanswers inevitably involves theChild Right's Convention Act(CRC) of 1989. The CRC is themost ratified human rights treatyin the world; the only two stateswho have not ratified it are theUnited States and Somalia. Thistreaty requires states to monitorand report on their progress interms of key outcomes such aschild health, education, and childlabor. It also includes children'sright to 'participation' and identi-ty. The global monitoring of theseoutcomes is clearly one major fea-ture and distinction between thediscussion of 'children's rights',and a more general conversationabout 'human' rights.

But what else makes children'srights different from humanrights? My own answer wouldinvolve a discussion of the oppor-tunity for commitment.Recognizing 'children' as a uniquecategory within the human rightsdiscussion opens up the space forparticular attention to, and focus

Despite this increased commit-ment, however, and the near glob-al acknowledgement of children asdeserving their own separate'rights', what movement andprogress has been made in the pasttwenty years to make the world abetter and more just place for chil-dren? Since the establishment ofthe CRC in 1989, how have theideals of 'children's rights' beenactualized? Where are we, in prac-tical terms, with the status of 'chil-dren's rights' and children's needs?

These questions, and the attemptto understand the current 'status'of children's rights, are complicat-ed. At the least, the process istwofold. On the one hand, thereare the 'practical' and 'measurable'outcomes to consider. Oftenreferred to as 'benchmarks,' withthe increased monitoring by statesand local agencies, it is more feasi-ble to track quantifiable changesto the lives of children than it wastwenty years ago. Girls' entranceinto formal education is one primeexample of such tracking, oftencited and played up in publicmedia. More girls are in formaleducation than twenty years ago,particularly so in countries such asAfrica and the Middle East. Tryingto understand and evaluate thestatus of children's needs andrights, therefore, involves anattention to details and tangibleoutcomes.

The other piece, often less dis-cussed, but equally important, is acommitment to looking at the

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––What good are increased

formal education statisticsif the quality of the schoolsis poor? If the students aretoo hungry to concentrate?

What good is theelimination of child labor

if it means a notabledecreased quality of life

because the children andtheir families are dependent

on that wage?What good does job trainingdo for former child soldiers,if there are no jobs for them

to enter?–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Rights in Actionby Melissa Milakovic & Trina Moyles

03PHOTOS: ???

Connecting Communities PROJECT H.O.P.E. IN NICARAGUA, 2007

Beyond Walls and Murals

with the paintbrush and the powerof FUNARTE's human rights-basededucation. To date he has sharedin the completion and restorationof over 10.

Talking to Freddy about thework FUNARTE has been doing inEstelí for over 20 years and what ithas done for him personallyaffirmed for us the true value ofthe mural workshops. This ener-getic 16-year-old spoke of collec-tivism, solidarity and the impor-tance of human rights educationwith the wisdom and certainty of awise man: “FUNARTE teaches aboutsolidarity beyond the murals and thewalls of Estelí...they teach positiveideas so that kids cannot be easilyinfluenced to do bad things, like getinvolved in gangs.” Because gangactivity is a problem in many ofthe barrios in Estelí (although ithas decreased dramatically in thepast few years), there is comfort inknowing that FUNARTE not onlyprovides a safe environment forthese children but also a solid edu-cation that covers everything frombasic human rights, to children'srights; from environmental aware-

The first time we met FreddyNeyra Arauz, 16 years old, he wasperched high on the scaffolding,his paint-flecked jeans andConverse sneakers dangling likewind chimes, focusing intently onpainting the expression of a youngman seated in a wheelchair. Freddywas among seven other youngchavalos from FUNARTE, one ofCFCA's Nicaraguan partners,, fullyengaged in painting the scene ofboys and girls reading and learn-ing in harmony. This latest mural,designed by the young partici-pants of FUNARTE's weekly muralworkshops, depicted the theme ofequality and access to education. Itwas, indeed, a moving experienceto witness Freddy and his fellowemerging muralists immersed intheir collective art: passing paintand brushes, sharing skills andadvice, and stepping back to exam-ine and reflect upon their work asthey brought the mural to life.

Freddy is not unlike any otherrock-loving-air-guitar-playing 16year old. He divides his timebetween going to school, workingin his family's small hardware tien-da, and spending time withfriends. But come Saturday after-noons, he dons painting gear andpedals to the community centre inthe neighborhood of OmarTorrijos. For 6 years, Freddy hasbeen a participant in the weeklymuralism workshops offered tohundreds of children in several ofthe poorest neighborhoods ofEstelí, Nicaragua. Freddy speakspassionately of his experiences

”ness to gender equality.

It is through education that thecycle of poverty can be stoppedand Freddy knows this better thanmost. In a very matter-of-fact tone,Freddy tells of the cyclical move-ment of ideas and principals thatpass through generations, fromparticipants to educators and back.Sharing and understandingthrough ongoing education. NowFreddy draws a circle, marking apoint on the top and anotherdirectly opposite. He explains thatthe point on the top is one of theeducators at FUNARTE and the oneon the bottom represents him, andthis is how the cycle works. Thereis a constant flow, movement,exchange of knowledge and com-passion - and just as the educatorsstarted as participants, he too willone day join the exceptional teamof muralists at FUNARTE.

PROJECT HOPE is a program of theGrant MacEwan Students' Union,which partnered in 2006-7 withFUNARTE.

FUNARTE teachesabout solidaritybeyond the muralsand the walls ofEstelí...they teachpositive ideas sothat kids cannot beeasily influencedto do bad things,like get involvedin gangs.

– Freddy Neyra Arauz

”

05PHOTOS: ???

International

Today, most of the immensemineral wealth once found inBolivia's Cerro Rico Mountain hasbeen exploited. Major miningcompanies have left the area, andresidents of Potosí, at the base ofthe mountain, live in poverty.Poverty, rising mineral prices and astagnant economy encourage resi-dents of Potosí to continue work-ing in the abandoned minesdespite serious health and safetyconcerns. Many among theseinformal mining workers are chil-dren and youth. CFCA's partner inPotosí, CEPROMIN, estimates that

13,000 people currently work inCerro Rico and that a significantproportion of them are children.

Families depend on the moneychildren are able to contributefrom their work in the mines.CFCA's project with CEPROMIN,seeks to build economic alterna-tives for families in order to breakthe dependency on dangerouschild labour. This project providesvocational skills training toPotosí's young people at times thatdo not conflict with their formaleducation or current work. Uponcompletion of the two-year skills

04

In Canada

PHOTO: Linda Hyde

An epidemic of positive change

Rights and skills build alternatives to child labourPotosí, Bolivia

Creating a legacy of global education

dancing, fire mime, percussionists,rap, a unicyclist, salsa dancers, andJapanese drummers. Ethically pro-duced clothing from severalEdmonton stores was modeledthroughout the performance. Thepositive energy that ignited thetheatre lingered well after theshow.

On September 15, 2007 aninspired audience of over 600 peo-ple gave an enthusiastic standingovation to the NoSweat display offashion and art. NoSweat '07showcased both ethical consumerchoices and Edmonton's diverseyouth talent in their annual eventaimed at positive change. Thisyear, Change for Children wasthrilled to be the beneficiary of theevent.

The No Sweat '07 theme, “anepidemic of positive change,” wasembodied in a dynamic theatricalproduction that included diverseperformances combined with ethi-cally manufactured fashion. Themessage: creativity, self expression,and conscious consumer choicescan change the world.Performances by Edmonton artistsincluded hip-hop, skipping, lotus

No Sweat's dedicated coordina-tors, Jon Jon Rivero, Cecilia Leeand Jill Pelton, work with “a smallarmy of motivated and talentedvolunteers” to make this annualshow possible. All of the proceedsfrom No Sweat '07 benefit Changefor Children's Child RightsEducation project with FUNARTE.

No SWEAT

Margarete Daugela is the firstrecipient of Change for Children's'newly founded Global EducationGraduate Award, which recognizesa student who has demonstratedoutstanding commitment to glob-al justice and human rights bothin their academic research andthrough their community involve-ment. Margarete is in her secondyear of a Masters Degree and herresearch focuses on the Rights ofthe Child.

Change for Children has madea five-year commitment to theFaculty of Education and willaward one thousand dollars annu-ally. This award is given to any fulltime Masters or PHD student inthe Faculty of Education at theUniversity of Alberta. Please con-tact Change for Children if youwould like to donate to this award.

training program, students willhave a trade qualification.Throughout the project they haveaccess to a microcredit loanscheme, and girls receive scholar-ships to continue their higher edu-cation. These options will allowyoung people to move into stableemployment. The project's inclu-sion of community educationabout young people's rights andchild labour's role in a continuingcycle of poverty will build momen-tum for brighter futures in Potosí.

In Nicaragua, threats of gangviolence and HIV/AIDS are increas-ing dramatically due to prolongedeconomic crisis. Poor neighbour-hoods in urban centers like thecapital city, Managua, and theNorthern city of Estelí, grappledaily with these growing prob-lems. Children and youth in thesecommunities are deprived ofopportunities to develop the skillsand confidence necessary to pre-vent violence and HIV/AIDS, and

to chart the direction of futurepositive change.

In partnership with FUNARTE(Foundation ART!) and INPHRU,CFCA is working to provide artisticand cultural programming to chil-dren of these impoverished com-munities. Through creative activi-ties, this project ensures thatNicaraguan youth are aware oftheir rights and involved in build-ing a society that respects them.

Muralism workshops, cultural

performances and the creation of ayouth-led magazine will involveyoung people in leadership roles intheir communities. These oftendisrespected and marginalizedyouth will lead campaigns againstgang violence and will provideHIV/AIDS education to their peers.This project builds self-esteem,supports future leadership anddevelops solutions from the heartsof those who need them most.

Creating solutions to violence and HIV/AIDS:Human rights and art for strong communitiesEstelí and Managua, Nicaragua

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THANK YOUTo our partners in the firstannual Joffre Lupul GolfTournament, which took placein August 2007.