CCCIP members Shawn Bayes (E Fry Vancouver) and Nancy Russell (Canadian Friends Service Committee) together with the Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children, met with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), on Friday May 6, 2022. Shawn and Nancy, along with many representatives of civil society organizations took this opportunity to call attention to Canada's significant shortcomings related to the implementation of child rights policy and legislation i.e. continued use of solitary confinement in youth custody (Article 37 of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibits “torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” of children), over representation of Indigenous women (parents) in federal prison, family contact with parents in prison is often inconsistent or non existent, alternatives to incarceration must be increased, lack of data about children of incarcerated parents in Canada, etc.
Although Canada is a signatory to the UNCRC, children of incarcerated parents are an almost invisible population in this country. The UNCRC reporting and review process could help to improve conditions for children of incarcerated parents by directing Canada to take concrete action, with a particular focus on Article 3 that requires States Parties to ensure that “the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration” at all levels of the criminal justice system.
View E Fry Vancouver's Submission to UNCRC here
View CFSC's 2020 Submission to the UNCRC here
View CFSC's 2022 Report Update here
The sessions for Canada's 5th/6th Review are scheduled to take place on May 17 and May 18 in Geneva, Switzerland. The sessions will be live streamed via UN Web TV and can be accessed here http://webtv.un.org/
Canada: May 17 at 3 pm Geneva time which is 9 am EDT (they are 6 hours ahead of Ontario)
Canada: May 18 at 3 pm Geneva time which is 9 am EDT (they are 6 hours ahead of Ontario)
