The list of issues, the next stage in the review of children’s rights, is another opportunity to make much needed changes in Canada. It includes many of the pressing issues for children in Canada.
All governments need to answer the questions to provide additional information and analysis about the conditions for children in Canada. That will provide a strong base for discussion in Canada and for Canada’s appearance before the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in September, 2021. It can lead to more specific recommendations for improvements and real-life change as a result of this review. That remains the goal of the CCRC.
The CCRC is pleased that the list of issues is specific enough to get beyond the platitudes that our governments often use in these reviews. We encourage all governments to provide honest, full answers to the questions in time for robust discussion in Canada. We owe that level of transparency to our young people. That is how we can use the review process to make progress in the realization of children’s rights. It will also make our system of governance work better for children, their families, and also governing bodies.
The CCRC encourages young people and groups who work with young people to use the list of issues in their advocacy work between now and August, 2021. Civil society groups can also submit additional analysis and information to the UN Committee to inform the questions they ask Canada when Canada appears in September, 2021.
Canada can no longer claim the current system works well. Anyone reading the list of issues will draw that conclusion. The best outcome will be a plan of action that includes improvements to be made immediately and a path to get longer-term changes before the next review. That is how we can work together to make this review productive for children across Canada.
If you would like more information on this stage of the review process, please send a message to info@rightsofchildren.ca.