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http://www.worldvision.ca/home/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/?i=5527
World Vision Child Rights Presentation to Senate
January 25, 2007
Toronto, Ont. - A team of seven students from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law have joined forces with World Vision to assist the international children's organization with legal research on the implementation of a children's ombudsman in Canada.
A children's ombudsman is an independent body that advances children's rights and step in where the rights of a child have been violated. The students' research included examination of international jurisdictions, including Norway, Sweden and New Zealand, where a children's ombudsman currently exists. Their findings were incorporated into World Vision's submissions to the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights and will be presented on January 29th at 2:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. Student representatives from the University of Toronto will be in attendance.
The World Vision submissions are available in the Policy and Analysis section of WorldVision.ca or at www.law.utoronto.ca/documents/ihrp/Children-WorldVision.pdf. They make the case for the appointment of a Canadian children's ombudsman and highlight important omissions in the Senate Standing Committee's interim report, "Who's in Charge Here? Effective Implementation of Canada's International Obligations with Respect to the Rights of Children." The Senate committee's final report is scheduled for release in Spring 2007.
"These submissions are part of World Vision's global efforts to call on all governments to protect the rights of children," said Dave Toycen, president of World Vision Canada. "Children everywhere, including in Canada, deserve a dedicated advocate to watch out for their interests."
University of Toronto law students regularly contribute legal research and writing on a volunteer basis to non governmental organizations as part of their academic experience while at law school. The seven students who took part in the World Vision submissions are part of the faculty's International Human Rights Program (IHRP) working group on children's rights, which is one of nearly a dozen student work groups in the IHRP that engage students in critical international legal issues.
"Canada is seen throughout the world as a global leader in the realization of human rights," says Sarah Perkins, acting director of the IHRP at the Faculty of Law. "We are extremely proud that University of Toronto law students are working hard to ensure that Canada continues to lead by example by taking concrete steps towards fulfilling its obligations to respect and protect the rights of children."
The IHRP at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law is dedicated to promoting global human rights through legal education, research and advocacy. The mission of the IHRP is to mobilize law students and lawyers to address international human rights issues and to develop the capacity of students and program participants to establish human rights norms in domestic and international contexts.
World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Motivated by our Christian faith, we serve all people regardless of religion, race, gender or ethnicity.
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For more information, please contact:
Jane Kidner, Assistant Dean, External Relations, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto
(416) 978-6702 or j.kidner@utoronto.ca
Sharon Marshall, Public Relations, World Vision
(416) 565-6200 ext. 2213 or Sharon_marshall@worldvision.ca