GENEVA, September 17, 2003 - Canada presented its second report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The protection and promotion of children's rights is of paramount concern to all levels of government across Canada. The Canadian delegation, led by Senator Landon Pearson, noted that a continued joint effort by provincial and territorial governments, as well as non-governmental organizations, is required to help ensure the goals and principles of the Convention are fully realized across Canadian society.

Canada's presentation highlighted major initiatives taken to advance the protection and well-being of children, citing specific measures to address those who are most vulnerable. These include:

• strengthening the protection of children against exploitation with, for example, a new offence for those who use the Internet to access, transmit or make available child pornography, as well as a trafficking in persons offence under Canada's 2002 Immigration and Refugee Protection Act;
• increasing National Child Benefit supplements for low-income families by $965 million-per-year by 2007;
  
• expanding the Aboriginal Head Start Program, a comprehensive early childhood development program across Canada for Aboriginal children and their families;
  
• developing, in direct collaboration with Canadian youth, the National Plan of Action for Children to promote children's rights and monitor progress.

Specialists in the delegation, from various government departments and agencies, responded to questions from the Committee.

Reports on the Convention are reviewed by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to assess the degree to which it has been implemented in a country's legislation, policies and programs. The Committee subsequently issues Concluding Observations as its assessment of the country's implementation of the Convention.

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