You are invited to make a wish for children in our community to help create a Cowichan Valley Child Rights Declaration that will be used to bring people together to find ways to ensure that all of our children have a happy, healthy childhood.

* MAKE A WISH *

Families, schools, classes, organizations and groups are also invited to create posters, songs, dances, music, poems and YouTube videos about the importance of children being able to express themselves and have their rights respected.

If you would like to find out about resources and community partners, just send us an email and we'll hook you up. Below are some online resources to help you get started.

The Right to Sing My Own Song – The Right to Belong

November 20 is Universal Child Day. We've put together some resources to remind us what it represents and how to put the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice into our daily lives – in our relationships, in our homes and in our community?

Unicef says that the Convention on the Rights of the Child “sets out the rights that must be realized for children to develop their full potential, free from hunger and want, neglect and abuse and offers a vision of the child as an individual and as a member of a family and community, with rights and responsibilities appropriate to his or her age and stage of development. By recognizing children's rights in this way, the Convention firmly sets the focus on the whole child.”
Every one of us can learn more about children’s rights and help children understand and realize their rights too. We can also work together to make sure that our governments develop policies and pass laws that put children first. Some communities have even created their own charter based on the Convention.
Here are a few Web sites with lots of great information.

Unicef Unite for Children is a good site for finding out more about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child through photo essays and plain language documents.

Amnesty International

Amesty International Canada Human Rights Teachers Kit

Child-friendly poster on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Government of Canada Human Rights Program

Free The Children is the world's largest network of children helping children through education.

2008 is a big year for child rights in Canada as the federal and provincial governments prepare Canada’s third report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child across the country. The Canadian Coalition for the Rights of the Children can tell you more.

Canadian Children’s Rights Council and Child Rights Virtual Library, Resource Centre, Archives and Advocacy

The Sub Group on Indigenous Children and Youth reports to the NGO Group on the Convention on the Rights to the Child.

A Report on Indigenous Children and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Childcare Resource and Research Unit

The International Institute for Child Rights and Development at UVic.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

A Covenant for Honouring Children