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By
Catherine M. Pruissen
National
Child Day marks the anniversary of the U.N. Convention
On The Rights of the Child.
When
Canadians celebrate National Child Day this November
20, they are marking an important date for children
everywhere.
November
20th is the anniversary of two historic United Nations
events - the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights
of the Child in 1959 and the adoption of the Convention
on the Rights of the Child in 1989.
The
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international
agreement that applies to young people all over the
world. Canada ratified the Convention in 1991.
The
Convention is divided into four groups of rights:
- Children
playing a part. This means including children
in decisions, giving them the freedom to join with
others, the freedom to express themselves and to
receive information from many sources.
- Children
reaching their potential. This includes the
things children need to develop as best they can.
This group of rights emphasises the importance of
education, family, culture and identity in children's
lives.
- Children
living well. This includes the right to survival
and basic needs - food, shelter, standard of living
and health.
- Children
being free from harm. This group of rights
protects young children from many things, including
abuse, neglect, economic exploitation, torture,
abduction and prostitution.
The
Convention is an important document because it provides
guiding principles on how to see and treat children.
It is a standard for ensuring children's healthy development
in Canada and around the world.
Source:
Convention on the Rights of the Child,
United Nations.
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©
Catherine M. Pruissen
Catherine M. Pruissen is the CEO of About Child Care
Consumer Services and developer of child care online.
She has published numerous child care related literature,
including Start and
Run a Profitable Home Day Care, The
Daycare Alternative, How to Find Good Child Care,
Caregiver Aids: Business
Forms for Caregivers and Parents, Income
Tax & Record Keeping for Child Care Providers,
and a host of workshops and workbooks. She was the editor
and publisher of the bi-monthly newsletter, Parent Care,
Your Child Care News-line. Catherine was also the coordinator
and workshop facilitator for The Child Care Information
Centre in Calgary, Alberta, and ran a successful dayhome
for eight years. |
