Mr. Speaker, The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the UN General Assembly in November 1989 on the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child. Its drafting began in 1979, the International Year of the Child. Canada is proud to have played an active role in drafting this treaty.
Canada is also proud to have been in the first group of countries to ratify the convention in December 1991, after consultation with provinces, territories and national aboriginal organizations. The convention now has the highest number of states parties, 191, making it the mostly widely accepted human rights treaty in history.
The convention has become the rallying point for children's rights, mobilizing not only governments and UN agencies, but civil society, including NGOs, academics, professionals, and more important, children and youth and their families.
The adoption of the convention has created momentum for strengthening international standards, for instance with new agreements. However much we have accomplished 10 years after the adoption of the convention, we all recognize the tremendous efforts that are still required. Too many of the world's children still face daily hardships and fear.