2. Recognize the importance of respect for children’s rights as an essential part of ethical practice, including inherent rights, responding the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and promoting the relationship between rights and responsibilities .
Demonstrate an understanding and respect for children’s rights as an essential part of good practice, including inherent rights and the relationship between rights and responsibilities.
Demonstrate an understanding and respect for children’s rights as an essential part of good practice, including inherent rights and the relationship between rights and responsibilities.
All children and all human beings have rights! It is important as a professional and ethical early childhood educator to respect these rights of the child and of their family members.
As an educator it is my responsibility to help teach a child of their rights –“to be safe: not to be hit, kicked, bitten or shoved” (Miller, D. F. 2013. p. 17) to play fair and give them guidance, to observe the child appropriately using their rights to defend themselves – “to build sand castles without getting sand in their eyes because gleeful playmates are shoveling sand into the air just for the fun of it” (Miller, D. F. 2013. p. 17), to sometimes be beside the child to protect their rights for them – not to be bullied by others, and to help a child to understand that their personal possessions are their own and not their educators/teacher/or parents. As an adult and educator there will be times in the “best interest of the child”, that it will be my responsibly to step forward and reach out to a community member to help the child.
The Rights of the Child
A child is a person below the age of 18 years old. The following information is reflected in the Canadian Convention Guiding Principles:
Non-discrimination (Article 2)
This principle states that no child should be treated unfairly on any basis. Children should not be discriminated against based on their race, religion or abilities; what they think or say; the type of family they come from; where they live, what language they speak, what their parents do, what gender they identify with, what their culture is, whether they have a disability or whether they are rich or poor.
Best interests of the child (Article 3)
This principle places the best interests of children as the primary concern in making decisions that may affect them. All adults, including those who are involved in making decisions related to budgets, policy and the law, should do what is best for children. When adults make decisions, they should think about how their decisions will affect children.
Right to life, survival and development (Article 6) – inherent right to live
Children have the right to live. Governments should ensure that children survive and develop in healthy way.
Respect for the views of the child (Article 12)
This principle states that children have the right to say what they think should happen and have their opinions taken into account
This does not mean that children can tell their parents what to do. This Convention encourages adults to listen to the opinions of children and involve them in decision-making but does not give children authority over adults.
Note that Article 12 does not interfere with parents’ right and responsibility to express their views on matters affecting their children. Moreover, the Convention recognizes that the level of a child’s participation in decisions must be appropriate to the child’s level of maturity. Children’s ability to form and express their opinions develops with age and most adults will naturally give the views of teenager’s greater weight than those of a preschooler, whether in family, legal or administrative decisions.
Canada’s Inherent Right Policy
“Was first launched in 1995 to guide self-government negotiations with Indigenous communities. Negotiated agreements put decision-making power into the hands of Indigenous governments who make their own choices about how to deliver programs and services to their communities. This can include making decisions about how to better protect their culture and language, educate their students, manage their own lands and develop new business partnerships that create jobs and other benefits for their citizens.” (Government of Canada 2020).
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
“For Canadians from all walks of life, reconciliation offers a new way of living together” (Truth & Reconciliation Booklet. p. 12).
Understanding and educating our Canadian history and culture is part of my professional education development for myself which I can share with our child, families, and staff in my centre. Through our community – attending workshops and our school district 71 connections my knowledge will continue to grow and my understanding of the history and culture of our Comox Valley and Canada will become richer. Through my learning so far I often reflect on my own home land, New Zealand, Maori – indigenous culture with similar challenges and cultural celebrations, and how family traditions of our culture are so important.  I also reflect on my own children’s Canadian Grandma, who’s Grandma was an Indigenous women from North Dakota. Many walks of life throughout the world connected in our family.
Educating and protecting our Non-Indigenous Rights, Indigenous and Aboriginal Rights from all walks of life is part of my professional ethical practices. It is my responsibility to understand the history to present time to correctly educate all our children in my centre and to have knowledge to be able to understand, relate and support our Non-Indigenous and Indigenous Family needs.
Truth and Reconciliation
The Indian Residential Schools operation in Canada’s history is an important part of learning in my early childhood education journey. “For over 150 years, residential schools operated in Canada. Over 150,000 children attended these schools. Many never returned. Often underfunded and overcrowded, these schools were used as a tool of assimilation by the Canadian state and churches. Thousands of students suffered physical and sexual abuse. All suffered from loneliness and a longing to be home with their families. The damages inflicted by these schools continue to this day. In 2009, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada began a multi-year process to listen to Survivors, communities and others affected by the Residential School system. The resulting collection of statements, documents and other materials now forms the heart of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR)” (National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. n.d. Learning more about NCTR. para. Background).
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
A shared vision held by those affected by Indian residential schools was to create a place of learning and dialogue where the truths of their experiences were honoured and kept safe for future generations. They wanted their families, communities and all of Canada to learn from these hard lessons so they would not be repeated. They wanted to share the wisdom of the Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers on how to create just and peaceful relationships among diverse peoples. They knew that reconciliation is not only about the past; it is about the future that all Canadians will forge together. This vision is the legacy gift to all of Canada” (National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. n.d. Learning more about NCTR. para. 1).
As the permanent home for all statements, documents, and other materials gathered by the TRC the NCTR will ensure that:
- former students and their families have access to their own history;
- educators can share the Indian Residential School history with future generations of students;
- researchers can more deeply explore the Residential School experience;
- the public can access historical records and other materials to help foster reconciliation and healing; and
- the history and legacy of the residential school system are never forgotten
(National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. n.d. Learning more about NCTR. para. 2).
Truth and Reconciliation Booklet
Within this booklet of knowledge I again expanded my own knowledge of our Indigenous people and history. The booklet is in three sections – Section One: Principles of Reconciliation from the Truth and Reconciliation Final Report, What we have learned. Pp. 125-126 – Section Two: Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation, released 2 June 2015 at the Truth and Reconciliation Closing Event – Section Three United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples from Resolution 61/295 adopted by the General Assembly on 13 September 2007.
Section One – Principles of Reconciliation
“10 Principles of Reconciliation. The first principle of reconciliation confirms that United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is the framework for reconciliation for all sectors of Canadian society. The other nine principles serve as guides to assist in repairing the damaged relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Principle 1 – The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is the framework for reconciliation at all levels and across all sectors of Canadian society.
Principle 2 – 9 focus on original peoples of this country – process of healing relationships – action on addressing the ongoing legacies of colonialism – create a more equitable and inclusive society – all Canadians, as Treaty peoples, share responsibility for establishing and maintaining mutually respectful relationships – perspectives and understandings of Aboriginal Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers – supporting Aboriginal peoples’ cultural revitalization and integrating Indigenous knowledge systems – reconciliation requires political will, joint leadership, trust building, accountability, and transparency, as well as a substantial investment of resources.
Principal 10 – Reconciliation requires sustained public education and dialogue, including youth engagement, about the history and legacy of residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal rights, as well as the historical and contemporary contributions of Aboriginal peoples to Canadian society (Truth and Reconciliation Booklet. p. 07-13).
Section Two – Calls to Action
“The Calls to Action are an appeal to mobilize all levels of government, organizations as well as individuals to make concrete changes in society. They list specific actions to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation.
Addressing the legacy:
- Child Welfare
- Education
- Language and Culture
- Health
- Justice
Towards Reconciliation:
- Canadian Governments
- Royal Proclamation and Covenant
- Settlement Agreement
- Legal Systems
- National Council
- Public Servants
- Church Apologies
- Education
- Youth Programs
- Museums and Archives
- Missing Children and Burial Information
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
- Commemoration
- Media
- Sports
- Business
- New Comers to Canada
(Truth and Reconciliation Booklet. p. 17-97).
Section Three – United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
“United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a framework for the establishment and maintenance of mutually respectful relationships. It represents the minimum standard for the survival, dignity and well-being of indigenous peoples.
The framework is made up of 46 articles of guided, affirming, reaffirming, concerned, recognizing, welcoming, convinced, emphasizing, considering, acknowledging, bearing in mind, encouraging, believing articles and solemnly proclaims the following United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a standard of achievement to be pursued in a spirit of partnership and mutual respect” (Truth and Reconciliation Booklet. p. 101-146).
Understanding and respecting The Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, along with protecting the child in the following ways – to be safe, avoid unnecessary discomfort, their possessions, and fairness in my centre; I will be able to provide them with a culturally responsive and protective environment. An environment filled with trust, respect and protection around all the children.
All children from all walks of life in Canada have rights
and have the rights to be protected!
                                                 J.P.B.
Examples of Documentation: Direct
Examples of Documentation: Indirect
Building Bridges Through Understanding the Village Experiential Workshop
Truth & Reconciliation – Call to Action Booklet 2020
References
Child Rights. Retrieved from:
https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention/convention-text
Government of Canada. 2020. Self-government. Canada’s Inherent Right Policy.
Miller, D.F. 2013. Positive Child Guidance, Seventh Edition. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Belmont, CA, USA.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved from:
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/rights-children.html
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, University of Manitoba. Booklet. Retrieved from: http://www.trc.ca/
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