Improving the lives and health of children and young people : Killam Trusts

One of the objectives of the Killam Trusts is to promote international dialogue and debate, and in the next few minutes I wish to share with you some insights into the lives of children and young people today in England, and from them to draw a series of themes that, I hope, will have resonance for Canada. [...] I should now like to turn to the next international benchmark – the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child The UNCRC is an international treaty; Governments give promises to children for Protection, Provision and Participation through its 42 Articles. [...] In 2008 it was the time again for the UK government to be held to account, and the process began with the submission to the UN by the UK government. [...] Fig 5 The report to the UNCRC from the four UK Children’s Commissioners The UN Pre-Sessional Interrogation Fig 6 The report from children and young people, and the pre-sessional hearing in action in the Hotel Wilson, Geneva. [...] The UN Committee are seated around the perimeter of the room, with the delegations in the centre as shown In the concluding observations published in October 2008, the UN Committee commended the UK Government for much progress since the previous examination in 2002, but expressed more than 120 concerns, consistent with those of the UK Children’s Commissioners, the overall conclusions being Governm