Child advocate: 'Canada has let her children down'

Digital Journal, by K J Mullins, November 20, 2009, ( Canada's Child Day and the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child)   http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/282447

In 1989 the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed by 193 nations. Those that signed the document were showing the world that they cared about children. In Canada there are several issues that have still yet to be addressed, critics say.

Today 20 years later the world though still is facing most of the same child horrors, was the document a photo op?

There have been some improvements in the lives of children worldwide since the Rights of the Child was ratified.

Canada, South Africa and Russia now have a separate juvenile justice system.

In Ethiopia the Berhane Hewan Project has allowed more than 11,000 delay marriage by giving families a sheep if they keep their daughters in school.

But for many children the treaty did not make a difference. In India there is still no child labour laws, children under 13 are still doing back breaking labour to support their families.

In Iran child criminals are put to death.

Child soldiers are still part of the armed forces in 56 governments.

Children still make up a large portion of the sex trade in Russia, the Philippines, India and Afghanistan. In North America 70 percent of the children who are homeless or runaway will face sexual abuses.

Children are still the focus of pornography. One-third of the organized pornography rings operate out of the United States.

There are about 158 million children from the age of 5 to 14 toiling every day to earn a wage instead of being educated.

Digital Journal spoke to Christopher Tidey from UNICEF - Canada about the Convention.

"Today is the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child making rights to the children of the world legally binding. It is pretty huge."

Tidey said that the past 20 years had seen improvements for millions of children worldwide. This year is the first time in history that children dying from preventable illnesses is under 10 million children. Still for all the improvements there are still too many children that are lacking health care, education and facing violence and abuses.

"Even in Canada the situation is mixed. One in nine children live in poverty. Mental health is not available for all the children in need of it. The situation is even worst for aboriginal children," Tidey continued, "In terms of results around the world, a lot of children are having a better life. Still there needs to be more improvements."

UNICEF Canada is calling for a National Children's Commissioner in Canada. Tidey said that a bill is in Parliament now so that the position can be made.

Grant Wilson, president of the Canadian Children's Rights Council would also like to see a Children's Commissioner for Canada. He told Digital Journal during a phone interview that he believes that the nation has failed its children.

"Today Canada has let her children down."

Wilson stated that Canada's report for the Rights of the Child was due in January. It has yet to be completed.

"This sets a terrible example for Canada. When Canada signed the Convention it took on the role of educating the public. Canada has not lived up to that task."

Wilson commented that the press should be buzzing with the news that today is the 20th anniversary of the Rights of the Child. It is not.

"Children are the silent citizens. The government has failed them. We are one of the few countries that does not have a child commissioner to protect the rights of the child."

Wilson also pointed out that schools in the nation are not recognizing the importance of the date nor is the Rights of the Child mentioned on the Canadian Heritage Website.

One issue that Wilson is very concerned with in Canada is that child ID rights are not being implemented. According to Wilson 5 percent of children do not have both parents listed on their birth certificates with the government not doing anything about it. He also said that known fraud is going on where the wrong fathers are being listed on the documents.

"This is a fraud against both the children and the children's fathers. It is a violation of the child's rights."

Wilson said that the act of fraud in this case calls for a $50,000 fine and prison time yet not one person has been punished in this manner.

Today the child is still a silent citizen. While some improvements have been implemented during the past twenty years much more needs to be done for the children of the world.