SASKATOON – November 20th is National Child Day – a day to
celebrate children and youth, and a reminder of Canada’s
commitment made to children’s rights. In 1991, Canada ratified the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), a
legally-binding international human rights instrument.
The UNCRC outlines 54 articles that cover a range of special rights
and protections for children by setting standards in health care,
education, and legal, civil, and social services. Sadly, over 30 years
later, children and youth continue to face barriers, and their adult
allies continue to fight to have their rights upheld – especially by
governments.
The Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates raises the alarm
to the concerns about the delays with Indigenous children receiving
much needed services under Jordan’s Principle across Canada.
“Indigenous children are languishing without supports due to the
jurisdictional disputes and inequities in services,” said Dr. Lisa Broda,
President of the Council.
The current challenges surrounding Jordan’s Principle (also known as
The Inuit Child First Initiative in Nunavut) and the government of
Canada’s delay in addressing the service barriers for Indigenous
children is having devastating impacts on their safety and well-being.
“Canada’s abrupt cancellation and changes to funding, increasing
number of request denials, and enormous backlog of requests are
resulting in Indigenous children and youth not receiving the services
and supports they desperately need to have the best quality of life,
and to which they are entitled under the UNCRC,” said Broda.
“These delays, disruptions, and denials are severely and egregiously
impacting the health, mental health, and overall well-being of
Indigenous children and youth,” said Broda. Tragically, like Jordan
River Anderson for whom Jordan’s Principle was named in 2005,
many children and youth continue to pass away while they wait for the resources they need.
On National Child Day – and every day – the Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates, urges Canada to immediately end the discrimination and address the systemic barriers that prevent Indigenous children and youth from receiving the services and supports to which they are entitled.
We must all continue to advocate for Indigenous children and call the provincial and territorial governments to action to urge Canada to do better. Our Indigenous children’s future depends on it.
The Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates is an association of children’s Advocates, Representatives, and Ombudspersons from across Canada who hold independent offices of the legislatures in their respective jurisdictions, with legislated mandates to promote and protect children’s human rights through advocacy, advice to government, amplification of child and youth voices, and public education.
For more go to www.cccya.ca
