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Family Violence Initiative
International Activities
How is the Department involved in family violence issues internationally?
The Department of Justice Canada is a key player in Canada's efforts to put
the issue of violence against women and children on the international agenda. The
Department has been involved in developing international treaties, resolutions
and reports relating to family violence, violence against women and children,
and child sexual exploitation. It also participates in related international
conferences.
International Treaties, Resolutions and Reports
Justice Canada contributes to or has taken part in:
- Canada's position on resolutions related to family violence before the
United Nations (UN) General Assembly, the UN Commission for the Status of
Women, the UN Commission on the Rights of the Child and the UN Human Rights
Committee. For example, Canada put forward a resolution calling for the United
Nations to adopt the Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child
Victims and Witnesses of Crime. The Economic and Security Council of
the United Nations adopted the resolution on July 22, 2005.
- various international reports, surveys and questionnaires, such as Canada's
Response to the UN Questionnaire on Violence against Children submitted
in September 2004.
- the June 2005 North American Regional consultations to provide input to
the UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence Against Children
- the development of Canada's National Plan of Action for Children. The
Action Plan is called A
Canada Fit for Children. It
was submitted to the UN in April 2004. This Action Plan represents Canada
's follow-up to the May 2002 UN Special Session on Children. The National
Plan of Action is a multi-sector, long-term child-centred framework for children
and young people that identifies goals, strategies and actions for the coming
decades.
- Canada's
presentation of its Second Report on the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child at the 34th session of the UN Committee on the Rights
of the Child. The presentation took place in September 2003.
- Canada's presentation of its Fifth Report on the UN Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
at the 28th Session of the CEDAW Committee. The Session took place in January
2003.
- Canada's participation at the UN
General Assembly Special Session on Children in May 2002. This Special Section resulted in the report entitled A World
Fit for Children.
- Canada's negotiations on the UN Optional
Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children,
child prostitution and child pornography. The
UN General Assembly adopted the Optional Protocol in May 2000 and it came
into force in January 2002. Canada signed the Protocol in November 2001 and
ratified the Convention on September 14, 2005.
- The resolution containing the "Model Strategies and Practical Measures
on the Elimination of Violence Against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention
and Criminal Justice." The resolution was subsequently adopted by the
UN Crime Commission. Canada also tabled a Resource Manual and Compendium
on the above resolution at the Eighth Session of the UN Crime Commission
in 1999. http://www.uncjin.org/Documents/8comm/Xe.pdf
- Canada's introduction of a resolution concerning "Crime
prevention and criminal justice measures to eliminate violence against
women." The
General Assembly adopted the resolution (52/86) in 1997.
Participation in International Bodies
Justice Canada shares its expertise on family violence issues in events and
conferences sponsored by international bodies, such as the Council of Europe,
the European Union and the United Nations.
- From 2003 to 2004, Justice officials participated as observers
in the Council of Europe negotiations of the European Convention on Action
against Trafficking in Human Beings. The Convention was subsequently adopted
by the Committee of Ministers in May 2005. http://www.coe.int/T/E/Human_Rights/Trafficking/
- Departmental officials participated in the Second World Congress
on the Sexual Exploitation of Children in Japan in December 2001. http://www.unicef.org/events/yokohama/
- The Department participated in an interdepartmental committee
to support Canadian implementation of the Declaration and Agenda for Action.
Part of this activity was to support the International Summit of Sexually
Exploited Youth in March 1998. http://www.sen.parl.gc.ca/lpearson/english.html
- In 1996, as part of the Canadian delegation, officials from
the Department attended the World Congress Against the Commercial Sexual
Exploitation of Children in Stockholm. Participants at the World Congress
adopted the Declaration and Agenda for Action by consensus. http://www.csecworldcongress.org/en
Links to International Organizations
United Nations:
Other regional intergovernmental organizations
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