90th SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS O

Introduction This submission provides an update to Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights (Action Canada) and the Sexual Rights Initiative’s (SRI) 2020 submission to the Committee for the Rights of the Child in advance of the 87th Pre-Sessional Working Group (ANNEX 1). [...] Canada must respect the right to non-discrimination through its measures to address COVID-19 and undertake a differential approach to ensure the rights of children and adolescents to sexual and reproductive health are respected, protected, and fulfilled including and especially during times of crises3. [...] In New-Brunswick as well as Newfoundland and Labrador, more gonorrhea cases were reported in the first three months of 2022 than for all of 2019, according to figures provided by the Department of 1 Committee on the Rights of the Child [hereinafter CRC], The Committee on the Rights of the Child warns of the grave physical, emotional and psychological effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and. [...] In 2018, the Government of Ontario announced the repeal of the 2015 sexual health education curriculum and replacement with the 1998 curriculum.22 The 2015 curriculum had only recently been updated to reflect sexual orientation and gender identity and the concept of consent, among other issues.23 Action Canada submitted an urgent appeal24 to the UN’s Special Procedures to draw attention to the hum. [...] Allocate financial and human resources to the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Women and Gender Equality ministry to promote the full implementation of the Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education and the integration of recommendations on Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Canada’s National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence.