Celebrate National Child Day in Canada - November 20th

Did you know that National Child Day is celebrated in Canada on November 20th each year? National Child Day commemorates Canada’s adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, spelling out the basic human rights for children and youth.

Non-discrimination; best interests of the child; right to survival and development; and views of the child are foundational principles that the rights in the Convention are built on. As children grow, they have more responsibility to make choices and exercise their rights.

Because Canada has ratified the Convention of the Rights of the Child, we are accountable to how our country is doing in ensuring every Canadian child is living a life reflected by these rights. Every four years Canada must report the status of children’s rights in our country to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. The role of the committee is to examine progress made by countries who have signed the Convention in fulfilling their obligations. What is interesting about the Convention for the Rights of the Child is that it is the only international treaty that offers non-governmental organizations an opportunity to report to the UN Committee. This means that organizations outside of government who working directly with children and famlilies have an opportunity to report on the status of children's rights in Canada.

Celebrate National Child Day to acknowledge children as assets to our community and our obligation to ensure they are actively engaged in what happens in their lives. You can celebrate by learning about rights yourself and by teaching them to the children in your life.

For more information about National Child Day click here. To access a kit for National Child Day activities click here.