In partnership with CCAAC (Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada), CCCABC is proud to present our project “Child Care is a Right”. The child care movement began as a central issue of the women’s rights movement so it’s natural that we would return to our roots and begin to explore child care from a women’s, children and family rights position.
The core of this project will be to explore Canada’s international treaty obligations to women, children and families as they pertain to child care. We are focusing on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and related General Comment #7, the Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Go to:
- Project information and publications
- Our right to advocate
- Conventions
- Canada Reports to the UN. Has Canada always reported the whole truth? – Public Reporting to the International Community
- What have grassroots organizations said? Civil Society reports to the UN
- The UN makes its evaluation. What does the UN say about Canada’s progress (or lack of it)?
- Links to other Rights organizations
- Missing Women Commission of Inquiry
- Related material
Project information and publications
Letter to the Members of the Committee on the Rights of the Child
CCAAC & CCCABC
September 19, 2012
UPDATE FROM GENEVA
Our presentation to the Pre-Sessional Working Group of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
February 6, 2012
- Commentary from Susan Harney following the presentation | en français
- Brief Update of A Tale of Two Canadas: Implementing Rights in Early Childhood
- Speaking Notes from our presentation | en français
- Declaration for a Child Care System in Canada with endorsements from provincial and federal organizations
BC Child Care Advocates in Geneva to Complain to UN: Will argue today Canada is failing to meet obligations under Rights of the Child convention
Katie Hyslop, TheTyee.ca; February 6, 2012
CCCABC is invited to the United Nations
January 2012
Introduction to the ‘Child Care is a Right’ project and information about the UN process
May 2010
Factsheets
June 2011
A Tale of Two Canadas: Implementing Rights in Early Childhood
February 2011
– Child Care is a Right Project releases A Tale of Two Canadas
– Download the full brief (english – 23 pages) / Récit de deux Canada (en français – 28 pages)
– Download the overview (english – 2 pages) / Aperçu (en français – 3 pages)
– Download the appendices (english – 18 pages) / Annexes (en français – 20 pages)
Child Care is a Right postcards
April 2011
Our right to advocate
Why are we so passionate about advocating for our rights – and does the United Nations really care?
Our child care advocacy movement began as a central issue of the women’s rights movements. For over 30 years, the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC has advocated for quality, affordable, accessible child care to enhance the lives of women and children. We believe that Canada signed on to the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention to Eliminate Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in good faith, and with that same good faith, we work now to hold Canada accountable for its lack of action.
Does the UN really care what CCCABC has to say?
The answer is a resounding yes! While the process may be a bit difficult to navigate, the UN has established a number of ways for organizations like ours to inform the review committee’s work and to suggest questions that should be put to Canada’s government representatives.
“The Committee on the Right of the Child seeks specific, reliable and objective information from NGO’s (non governmental organizations [like CCCABC]) in order to obtain a serious and independent assessment of the progress and difficulties encountered in the implementation of the CRC.”
So, it is our responsibility as concerned and engaged citizens of Canada to be part of the review process and demand the rights of children and women are upheld in our country.
- A Guide for Non-Governmental Organizations Reporting to the Committee on the Rights of the Child
prepared for the CCCABC and CCAAC Boards of Directors as information regarding the process for reporting to the UN on the CRC - NGO reporting process guide available from: http://www.crin.org/ngogroupforcrc/
Conventions
What Commitments has Canada made to Children, Women and Families?
By ratifying (or approving) the following agreements, Canada has committed to protecting and ensuring rights for the following groups (among others). Canada has also agreed to be accountable for these commitments before the international community
On Children and Families
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- General Comment No. 7 (2005): Implementing child rights in early childhood
Provides further details on the application of the CRC to young children and their families
On Women
- The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
- What does CEDAW mean for child care in Canada?
A briefing note on CEDAW, and its application particularly to child care in recent years
Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada, February 2009
Canada Reports to the UN
Has Canada always reported the whole truth? – Public Reporting to the International Community
Turn Up The Volume
On September 26 and 27, 2012, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child will ask the Canadian government questions about how well children are doing in Canada. This is part of the third review of how well Canada implements the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The dialogue will be webcast, so you can watch in Canada. The CCRC is providing commentary and background on its website and invites Canadians to join the discussion through its Facebook page. UNICEF has developed a party toolkit and suggestions for ways you can have fun and take action with this event. This is an opportunity to learn and show support for children’s rights in Canada.
- Download the invitation: please use it in your networks to let others know as well.
- Websites for information: www.rightsofchildren.ca / www.unicef.ca/turnupthevolume
On Children and Families
- Convention on the Rights of the Child – Third and Fourth Reports of Canada
covering the period January 1998 – December 2007
On Women
- CEDAW report (Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women) 6 and 7th report
covering the period April 1999-March 2006
What have grassroots organizations said? Civil Society reports to the UN
On Children and Families
- Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children
November 2011 report: Right in principle, right in practice: Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Canada - The Role and Impact of Civil Society Upon Child Rights in Canada
The Honourable (Ret.) Landon Pearson and Tara Collins authored a case study that summarises some findings about how civil society in Canada has affected policy efforts in relation to children and highlights the challenges it confronts.
On Women
- B.C. CEDAW Group – Submission to the Human Rights Council on the occasion of the second Universal Periodic Review of Canada
October 2012 - Canadian Feminist Alliance For International Action (FAFIA) – Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council on the occasion of the second universal periodic review of Canada
October 2012 - Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls in British Columbia and Canada
January 2012 submission from Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada and the B.C. CEDAW Group to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on the occasion of its review of Canada’s 19th and 20th reports - Nothing to Report
CEDAW report Submission of the B.C. CEDAW Group To the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women [in response to Canada’s Follow-up Report on Progress in Implementing Priority Recommendations made by the Committee in its 2008 Concluding Observations on Canada] - No Action, No Progress: FAFIA’s Report on Canada’s Progress in Implementing Priority Recommendations made by the CEDAW Committee in 2008
- CEDAW Report Card 2009
Westcoast Leaf
The UN makes its evaluation. What does the UN say about Canada’s progress (or lack of it)?
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 44 of the Convention
Concluding observations: Canada
October 5, 2012
“The Committee is concerned by the high cost of child-care, the lack of available places for children, the absence of uniform training requirements for all child-care staff and of standards of quality care. The Committee notes that early childhood care and education continues to be inadequate for children under four years of age and the Committee is concerned that the majority of early childhood care and education services are provided by private, for profit institutions, resulting in services being unaffordable for most families.”
Canada’s poor marks on Rights of Child: UN evaluates Canada’s record, finds it lacking
Jody Dallaire, New Brunswick; Straight Goods
October 2012
UN confronts Canada for having no coherent national strategy for child rights
Heather Scoffield, Canadian Press/TYEE
September 26, 2012
On Children and Families
On Women
- CEDAW considers report of Canada
October 2008
Links to other Rights organizations
On Children and Families
- Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children
Promoting children’s rights in Canada
On Women
- FAFIA
- WomenWatch
Central gateway to information and resources on the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women throughout the United Nations system
Missing Women Commission of Inquiry
- David Eby, Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association, at PechaKucha Night
- Amnesty International and Native groups release scathing open letter about Pickton inquiry
Vancouver Observer; April 10, 2012 - NWAC Cites Withdrawal of Independent Counsel from Missing Women Commission of Inquiry as Further Evidence of Discrimination
Native Women’s Association of Canada; March 7, 2012 - NWAC and FAFIA letter to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women – calling for a visit to Canada to conduct the inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls
February 8, 2012 - The Women’s Equality and Security Coalition (WESC) Withdraws from the Missing Women Inquiry
August 4, 2011 - Joint Letter to Premier Clark Regarding Missing Women Commission of Inquiry
September 28, 2011 - Missing women probe becomes sad spectacle: Penny-pinching provincial government has left its most vulnerable citizens out in the cold
Vancouver Sun; October 11, 2011 - All but one group exits B.C. Missing Women Inquiry in funding feud
Postmedia News; October 6, 2011 - Two leading human rights groups quit B.C. missing women inquiry
Vancouver Observer/Canadian Press; October 6, 2011 - Legal group pulls out of B.C.’s Missing Women Inquiry
CBC News, September 20, 2011 - Opinion: Denial of justice at the Missing Women Commission more than a shame to the country
Vancouver Sun, September 12, 2011 - Pickton inquiry’s problems underscore the truth about poverty: With its narrow scope and financial challenges, it seems Oppal commission is as powerless as the vulnerable women it aims to serve
Vancouver Sun, August 16, 2011
- Status Report #2 on Commission Progress (June 2011)
- Summary of our participation to date (May 2011)
- WESC Application for participation and funding
- Ruling on Participation and Funding Recommendations
Related material
Child care as a human right – UN Committee finds Canada shirks obligations under Rights of the Child
Jody Dallaire, Straight Goods
January 24, 2013
UN Child Rights Rep to Canada: What’s Taking You So Long? Visitor prods officials to make good on decade-old recommendations
Katie Hyslop, TheTyee.ca
December 8, 2012
United Nations Committee on Rights of the Child representative concludes four-day visit to Canada
Media release – CCCYA
December 7, 2012
Next Steps for Children’s Rights in Canada
Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children
October 26, 2012
Feds’ Tough-on-Crime Agenda ‘Excessively Punitive’ for Kids: UN
Tory crime bill no longer conforms to international child rights convention, report charges
By Heather Scoffield, Canadian Press/Tyee
October 10, 2012
Your Right to Speak – Child Rights Video
August 2012
What’s Missing in Budget 2012?
Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children
April 13, 2012
Kamloops Children’s Charter of Rights / Kamloops Youth’s Charter of Rights
Make Children First Kamloops
Reality Check: Women in Canada and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action Fifteen Years On
A Canadian Civil Society Response
February 22, 2010
Harper runs roughshod over women’s rights
Murray Dobbin, Rabble.ca
February 8, 2010
Olympic Games: Stark Contrast to Poverty and Violence
Open Letter to Prime Minister Harper and Premier Campbell from The B.C. CEDAW Group and Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
February 2010
B.C. fails to meet international women’s rights standards
BC CEDAW Group news release and responses
February 2010
Open Letter from Kathy Corrigan, MLA
In regards to the release of ‘Nothing to Report’ from the BC CEDAW Group
February 2010
Letter to The Honourable Wally Oppal, Attorney General of British Columbia
BC CEDAW Group
March 2009