Around the world, children and youth are increasingly taking action to seek to enforce their human rights and denounce violations. While Canada has ratified the international Convention on the Rights of the Child, children’s rights violations continue to be widespread with few opportunities for children to claim their rights. Professor Mona Paré has earned an Insight grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to fund research exploring the legal structures and processes that best enable children to meaningfully seek to enforce their rights more independently.
Professor Paré’s project, entitled “Children as human rights defenders and their access to justice”, seeks to enable children to become human rights defenders by improving their access to justice. While much has been written about access to justice, research and initiatives relating to children have been limited. Legal action on behalf of children depends on the willingness and ability of guardians or other representatives, and most legal processes are not open to children. While children may be involved in legal proceedings and their voices may be sought, their role is generally limited to being passively subjected to a procedure.
Professor Paré, her co-investigator Professor Anne Levesque of the Common Law Section, and collaborator Professor Daniella Bendo of King’s University College at Western University, will explore the judicial and non-judicial processes that allow for rights claims to be made directly by children in Canada. The researchers seek to pave the way for the recognition of children as actors in the protection of rights, to help children use existing remedies, and to facilitate the establishment of procedures that ensure children's access to justice.
SSHRC Insight Grants support research excellence in the social sciences and humanities. The goal of the Insight program is to build knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world.
Congratulations to Professor Paré on this grant success!