Madalyn Christian Hannah Covell Starr Esparza Jenna Hilss IDS 2113.
Katherine Covell, PhD
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Transcript of Katherine Covell, PhD
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.”