November 20, 2014 - The Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State (Foreign Affairs and Consular), today commemorated the first anniversary of the Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada on the occasion of Universal Children’s Day.
“The creation of the Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit has significantly enhanced our government’s capacity to respond to complex consular issues involving Canadian children,” said Minister Yelich. “Our government is committed to limiting the number of Canadian children who face dangerous circumstances or are abducted beyond our borders. In the year since its creation, the unit has been successful in assisting hundreds of children, not only by preventing the abduction, maltreatment or abandonment of those at risk, but also by ensuring their safe return to Canada.”
Made up of specialized case officers and policy analysts, the Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit has improved Canada’s ability to provide guidance and support to left-behind parents and has increased its capacity to respond to emerging issues, such as that of children at risk of forced marriage, abandonment, abuse or neglect.
“Protecting the rights of children is a priority in Canada’s foreign policy and our international development efforts,” said Minister Yelich. “Enhancing our consular capacity to assist and respond to the needs of our children abroad is yet another example of our unwavering commitment to protecting and promoting children’s rights both at home and abroad.”
The Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit has increased the coordination among federal departments and agencies and with provincial counterparts and non-governmental organizations, which do important work on children’s issues abroad. Increased cooperation between front-line workers has been invaluable in assisting children who are in the most dangerous of circumstances.
“We sincerely appreciate the work of the Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. The work of consular officials, both in Canada and at service points around the world, is essential in assisting us in helping reach children who are at risk,” said Shirley Gillett, Coordinator of the Forced Marriage Project.
Resources for parents who travel with children are available at Travel.gc.ca, the Government of Canada’s website for Canadians travelling or living abroad. These resources include a recommended consent letter for children travelling abroad alone or with only one parent or guardian, as well as the publications Travelling with Children and International Child Abduction: A Guidebook for Left-Behind Parents.
For more information, Canadians may also visit Travelling abroad with children and 21st Century Consular Plan.
A backgrounder follows.
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In December 1954, the United Nations General Assembly, through its Resolution 836(IX), recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children’s Day to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding about children. The resolution also recommended that Universal Children’s Day be observed as a day of activity devoted to promoting the ideals and objectives of the UN Charter and the universal welfare of children.
November 20 marks the anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and its adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.
In Canada, National Child Day has been celebrated since Parliament enacted the Child Day Act in 1993. The Act officially designates November 20 as Child Day in Canada to promote awareness of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
