Child and Youth Advocate Office Hosts 5th Annual Child Rights Impact Assessment Training

Whitehorse…

On September 4th and 5th, the Yukon Child and Youth Advocate Office hosted over 30 participants for its fifth annual Child Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) training. Participants from Yukon government, First Nations governments and the Territorial Youth Collective joined youth representatives from the Individual Learning Centre and BYTE Empowering Youth to discuss children’s rights and how they are affected in government decisions.

During the training, the group discussed a broad range of practical scenarios related to government policies involving the environment, education, language services and custody, using screening and assessment tools developed by the Yukon CRIA working group. “It’s really great to see more and more people knowing what CRIA is and how it can be used. There is great interest and momentum,” said Annette King, Child and Youth Advocate. “We have come a long way over the last five years, and we are starting to see the effects in government policy. Our next step is to formalize CRIA in legislation.”

During the training the Territorial Youth Collective had an opportunity to present the year two priorities from the Territorial Youth Strategy signed in April 2024. The priorities include:

·       Basic needs

·       Community safety and harm reduction

·       Mental wellness and connections

·       Access to learning and education

·       Employment and career opportunities

·       Land and stewardship

By signing on to the Territorial Youth Strategy, Yukon government has committed to considering and upholding children’s rights. A fundamental way this can be achieved is through the implementation of CRIAs. “We partnered with the CRIA training to begin accountability work in assessing the progress of the priorities and getting input on how they are being implemented.  It was amazing to see the priorities analyzed through a child rights lens” stated Erin Cartan, Youth Collective Director, “this data will contribute to the annual accountability forum for the strategy.”

As part of the proposed amendments to the Child and Youth Advocate Act, YCAO is recommending that CRIAs are implemented into Yukon government policy and legislative processes. This will help to ensure that children’s rights are considered in government decisions. “We have shared our recommendations with Yukon government and now the next steps are in their hands,” said King.

You can learn more about Child Rights Impact Assessments at ycao.ca/cria.

The Child & Youth Advocate Office is an independent office of the Legislative Assembly. The operations of the office are guided by the Child and Youth Advocate Act. Children, youth or others concerned about a child or youth receiving services within Yukon Government can contact the Child and Youth Advocate Office at (867) 456-5575.

Contact:

Rachel Veinott-McKeough

Policy and Systemic Analyst

Yukon Child and Youth Advocate Office

(867) 456-5575

Rachel.veinott-mckeough@ycao.ca