The importance of the United Nations Convention on the

Rights of the Child for Canadian Children:

The gap between promise and reality

Katherine Covell, PhD

Child rights violations

Disproportionately represented in:povertylow birth weightinfant mortalitychild protection systemjuvenile justice systemsubstance dependenceyouth suicide

Canada’s obligations

• Implement the rights of the child progressively over time• Send reports to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child• Respond to reports from the Committee and improve performance

Rights of Protection

Rights of Provision

Rights of Participation

PROTECTION RIGHTSWhat children say about family violence

Some people beat their kids, push them, slap them, kick them and everything – parents shouldn’t be allowed to hit their children

Really bad violence happens in homes

Parents fighting with each other is a type of violence that affects kids – you don’t have to be hit yourself to be affected by it

Adults try to blame videogames and the internet. I think you learn more from your parents.

Witnessing violence teaches you violence and makes you hate.

What children say about family violence

States with full prohibition on the use of corporal punishment against children

2011 South Sudan2006-2010 Albania 2000- 2005 Hungary

Congo Romania Costa Rica Ukraine Greece Iceland

Liechtenstein Bulgaria Luxembourg Germany Spain Israel Moldovia

Netherlands 1994-1999 Croatia New Zealand Cyprus Kenya Denmark Portugal Latvia Poland Togo 1983-1989 Austria Tunisia Finland Uruguay Norway Venezuela1979 Sweden I

Link between corporal punishment and abuse

Child maltreatment deaths

Children in careSlow removal

Multiple moves

Placed in hotels

Transition to the street

Children in the justice system

Cops defend using Taser on teenTaser used to break up teen brawl

Teen youngest Taser-related death in Canada

Ashley Smith, New Brunswick Youth Centre

My Life

My life I no longer loveId rather be set free aboveGet it over with while the time is rightLate some rainy nightTurn black as the sky and as cold as the seaSay goodbye to AshleyMiss me but dont be sadIm not sad Im happy and gladIm free, where I want to beNo more caged up AshleyWishing I were freeFree like a bird.

Typical statements from youth participants in the UN Study on Violence Against Children, North

AmericaCops are really rough with kids.

Cops are aggressive with kids, they slam you to the ground and when they strip search you they are rough.

I was planning on killing myself in there

PROVISION: Child poverty

Chronic and early poverty affects

Health

School performance

Behavior

Pediatric dental care To age: 19 British Columbia 18 Alberta, Saskatchewan Manitoba, Ontario New Brunswick

17 PEI, Newfoundland 10 Quebec Nova Scotia

Comparison of child care servicesUNICEF

Sweden GermanyIceland ItalyDenmark Japan Finland Portugal France Republic of KoreaNorway MexicoBelgium SpainHungary SwitzerlandNew Zealand United StatesSlovenia AustraliaAustria Ireland and CanadaNetherlands United Kingdom

Early enthusiasm for school…

to early disengagement

Participation in classroom rules

Participation in learning

Rights-based critical thinking

“Her stepmother was very cruel and denied her right to be protected from abuse and it infringed article 31 when they didn’t let her go to the ball, because children have a right to play.”

Participation in committees

Teacher comments

“The more I let them participate in the class, the more they respect me – you’d think you’d be losing authority.”

“Now I remember why I went into teaching – to make a difference.”

What would you change about your school?

“I would like it if we had a hospital at the school. Then there would be no more eternity leaves – the teacher could have the baby at lunch time if there was a hospital and then come back to class. Too many teachers are on eternity leave and we miss them.”