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Partnership Development Grant


The International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (ICCRP) recognizes child participation as a human right. Our previous project was dedicated to children’s participation as a necessary part of monitoring and addressing protection concerns. The key research question was: How can children’s participation in international and Canadian child protection programs and policies be monitored? This project involved adult researchers working directly alongside Child and Youth Advisory Committee members on all aspects of research design, acquisition and dissemination. To ensure the inclusion of young people in the partnership, we established our own Child and Youth Advisory Committee (CYAC) to guide the research process and the dissemination of the ICCRP’s findings. The CYAC involved youth from Brazil, Canada, China and South Africa. The CYAC members met virtually from 2017 until 2021 to discuss issues related to children’s rights and the research process and efforts”.

Phase One


Phase One​ of the research was carried out in 2017 to establish the Child and Youth Advisory Committee (CYAC). Adult professionals from multiple sectors and contexts around the world were also interviewed to identify their understandings of child protection and participation. Furthermore, a literature review was undertaken.

Phase Two


Phase Two​ commenced in late January 2018 wherein the ICCRP pursued the second objective identified above. The research team studied children’s participation in their protection in four different countries: Brazil, Canada, China and South Africa. Each of these cases involved the following three steps: Identifying and analyzing the existing policies and programs as well as gaps; Creating reflective spaces for key stakeholders to discuss Phase I results; and Co-producing ‘next steps’ for how to effectively monitor protection efforts.

Phase Three


Phase Three​ began in late 2018; the research team began investigating the potential for learning across the earlier two objectives, assessing similarities and differences. In this stage, implications for monitoring norms and tools for advancing knowledge mobilization were considered. The participatory research methodology used and the results that ensued will be disseminated at several conferences in 2019/2020. The International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (ICCRP) involved research team members from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), International Institute for Child Rights and Development, University of Cape Town, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Edinburgh University, Lakehead University, and McGill University. Partner organizations included: International Child Protection Network of Canada (ICPNC), National Association of Child Care Workers (NACCW of South Africa), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de Centre-Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Equitas - International Centre for Human Rights Education, New Brunswick Office of the Child and Youth Advocate (Canada), Plan International Canada, Right To Play International, Save the Children Canada, and the former Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth – Ontario (Canada).
Since 2015, the ICCRP researchers and valued Child and Youth Advisory Committee members have had the important responsibility of sharing the partnership’s research findings with the world. 

Conference Photos

NACCW Conference 2019: Cleyton Costa Lima CYAC Member

NACCW Conference 2019: Cleyton Costa Lima CYAC Member 

Poster and Young People NACCW 2019

NACCW 2019 Conference: Youth Participants 

CATS Conference 2018: Youth Participants

CATS Conference Participants 2018

CYAC Members at the NACCW Conference 2019

NACCW Conference 2019: CYAC Members and the Child and Youth Participation Coordinator

Child Participation in International Child Protection (CPICP)

The International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership was established following the Child Participation in International Protection Conference held at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) in October 2015! 

Conference Date: October 5-6, 2015
Location: Toronto, Canada

Dr. Sonya Grover -  (PDF file) Advocating for Children of Haitian Descent Born in the Dominican Republic to Undocumented Parents and Denied Dominican Birthright Nationality/Citizenship

Definitions of Child Participation

Ethical Tensions

Kavita Ratna –  (PDF file) Working Children

Legal Tensions

Political Tensions

Practical Tensions

Monitoring and Evaluation Training

Gerison Lansdown –  (PDF file) M&E Workshop

Definition of Participation

Armchair Discussion

  • Susan Bissell, Global Partnership to End Violence against Children
  • Landon Pearson, Landon Pearson Resource Centre for the Study of Childhood and Children’s Rights

Definition of Participation

Short Presentations

  • Laura Wright, Right to Play (5 min.)
  • Ivette Fonseca, Plan Canada (5 min.)
  • Thaila Dixon-Eeet, Project C (5 min.)
  • Fred Hareau, Equitas (5 min.)
  • Linda Dale, Children/Youth as Peace Builders (5 min.)

Ethical Tensions

Panel Presentations

  • Olivia Lecoufle, Save the Children Canada (10 min.)
  • Gillian Mann, Child Frontiers (10 min.)
  • William Myers, University of California at Davis (10 min.)
  • Kavita Ratna, Concerned for Working Children, India (10 min.)

Legal Tensions

Panel Presentations

  • Ben Elgaza, Youth
  • Kay Tisdall, University of Edinburgh
  • Lucy Jamieson, Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town
  • Irene Rizzini, Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
  • Richard Carothers, Partners in Technology Exchange & Dena Aufseeser, University of Maryland

Summary of Day One from Conference Participants & Practical Tensions

Presentations

  • Jason Hart, University of Bath (10 min.)
  • Gerison Lansdown, International children’s rights advocate (10 min.)
  • Anna Amy Ho, Former Crown Ward, Crisis Counsellor at Victim Services Toronto (10 min.)
  • Public Speaker, and Dancer/Aerialist (10 min.)

Monitoring and Evaluation

Training Session 
Gerison Lansdown, International children’s rights advocate (2 hrs.)

Crucial Tensions and Future Directions

Reviewing Conference Themes and Outcomes
Jo Boyden, University of Oxford (15 min.)     

Additional Resources