A National Paper on Youth Suicide

This work is guided by the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)², which consist of 54 articles and key principles of non-discrimination, best interests of the child, right to life, survival and development, and lastly, participation. [...] In addition, the Council has created a Declaration of Reconciliation to acknowledge the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the potential impact of their Calls to Action which may lead Indigenous young people on a pathway to healing. [...] The purpose of this report is to maintain a national spotlight on the issue of youth suicide from the Council’s collective work and the urgent need for governments to eradicate the barriers in achieving their obligations under the UNCRC. [...] Creating these types of forums and opportunities for young people to express their opinion is in accordance with Article 12 of the UNCRC and demonstrates the significant commitment of the Council to ensure children have a voice and freedom of expression in matters that affect them. [...] The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has stressed the importance of knowing the “[…] impact that each period of life has on subsequent stages.”28 This relates to the second point on the continuum that adolescents burdened with unresolved childhood trauma typically do not receive the quality and quantity of support they need to facilitate their transition to adulthood.