Office of the Child and Youth Advocate
November 20, 2017

The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate Celebrates National Child Day

Today the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate marks the UN International Day of the Child which is celebrated in Canada on November 20. Every child and youth in Canada has fundamental rights which are identified in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Canadian government, with support from all jurisdictions, ratified this human rights treaty in 1991.

The Office of the Child and youth Advocate will host and participate in many activities throughout the week to celebrate and create awareness about children’s rights.

  • Monday will see youth and our staff participate in radio programming through Memorial University’s radio station CHMR to discuss young people’s rights and their experiences. One youth will also share her music. This broadcast will be available on 93.5 MHz, Rogers Cable channel 942 and Aliant TV channel 825 as well as heard online at www.chmr.ca external link icon at 1:30 p.m. NL time, 12:00 p.m. EST.This is part of a national day of broadcast of community radio stations in Canada.
  • Staff will visit schools and community organizations in Sheshatshiu, Nain, Goulds, Mobile, Trepassey, Kilbride, Cape Broyle, St. Catherine’s, Bay Bulls, Ferryland, Mount Pearl and St. John’s.
  • To elevate the voices of Indigenous youth, our Labrador travels will involve profiling the message of a Young Advocate for the day.
  • Daily tweets (@OCYANL) will promote a particular right from the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a Young Advocate’s message, and a young artist.
  • The week’s activities will conclude on Saturday when we participate in the Get Moving Family Event at the Power Plex.

Advocate Jackie Lake Kavanagh would like to remind Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that children and youth do not always know when their rights have been violated. This is why it is important for all adults to take a stand in becoming educated about child rights, sharing that knowledge, protecting young people’s rights, and taking action when necessary.

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Media contact
Janice Mullins
Office of the Child and Youth Advocate
709-753-3888
JaniceMullins@ocya.nl.ca

2017 11 20                              9:40 a.m.