20 Years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Celebrating the Past, Forecasting the Future

On Friday 20 November 2009, leading practitioners, policy makers and researchers will come together at the Sydney Children’s Hospital to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

The event is being organised by the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY), the NSW Commission for Children and Young People, the National Children’s and Youth Law Centre (NCYLC) and UNICEF Australia

 
The event provides a unique opportunity to celebrate the achievements in the realisation of child rights over the past two decades, but it is also an opportunity to highlight the disparities and inequities in child health and wellbeing that continue to exist in Australia and to challenge our government and other decision makers to deepen their commitment to children.

As part of this discussion, a number of experts will look at eight hypothetical case studies of children born with different backgrounds.  The experts will assess the likely outcomes in 20 years for each child against the articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. They will then detail the top three things that need to change over the next 20 years to improve the wellbeing of children and young people in Australia.

The findings and recommendations of the morning will be compiled and presented to the public and media. The outcomes will provide invaluable insight into the status of children’s rights in Australia and the essential macro level changes that need to take place over the next 20 years to ensure that all children’s rights are met.

The expert workshops will run from 9.30am to 12.30pm, followed by a light lunch and the cutting of a CRC birthday cake. Children staying at the hospital and their families will be invited to join.

For more information please contact UNICEF Australia on 02 9261 2811.