Overview of the Child Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) tool and e-learning course
On this page
- Introduction
- About the CRIA tool and why it is important
- About the CRIA course
- Who should take the course
Introduction
In July 2023, Justice Canada launched the Child Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) tool and e-learning course. The purpose of the CRIA tool is to assist public officials in considering the impacts of a new law, policy, program or other initiative on children. While primarily aimed at federal officials, this tool can equally be used by other governmental or non-governmental organizations, or by others who want to assess the impact of an initiative on children’s rights.
About the CRIA tool and why it is important
A vast array of federal laws, programs, policies and initiatives have impacts on children, even those that are not specifically directed at them. Adopting the use of CRIAs within government has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for children by ensuring government measures fully consider children’s rights and interests. The launch of the CRIA tool responds to long-standing calls from domestic stakeholders as well as from the international arena for governments to use CRIAs in their policy development process.
The CRIA tool will help identify and consider all potential direct or indirect effects that a proposed law, policy, program or other initiative can have on children. It is grounded in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This tool supports evidence-based decision-making and good public policy. It is also complementary to and supports Gender-Based Analysis Plus for initiatives that affect children.
About the CRIA course
The course will provide background information on international human rights obligations and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) specifically, as well as on the fundamentals of the Child Rights Impact Assessment. The course also includes a step-by-step guide on how to apply the CRIA tool when developing initiatives. The course concludes with an opportunity for participants to apply their new knowledge to two case studies.
Who should take the course
The e-learning course aims to help people who are using the CRIA for the first time to assess the potential effects of an initiative on children’s rights. The course was primarily designed for federal government officials. However, anyone whose work affects children and their wellbeing is welcome to register, including:
- Employees of Justice Canada and other federal government departments who develop laws, policies, programs or other initiatives
- Provincial, territorial, and municipal governments
- Non-governmental organizations or others who want to assess the impact of an initiative on children’s rights
Duration: 2.5 hours
Modules covered
- Module 1: Introduction to international human rights law and Canada’s obligations
- Module 2: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and Canada’s obligations
- Module 3: Fundamentals of a Child Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA)
- Module 4: Conducting a CRIA (case studies)
Accreditation by Law Societies:
- Barreau du Quebec (BQ): This activity may be eligible for up to 2.5 hours of continuing education content (but ultimately it is the lawyer’s responsibility to determine whether it fits the BQ’s regulation concerning mandatory continuing education activities)
- Law Society of British Columbia (LSBC): The Department of Justice Canada (Legal Practices Policy Division - LPPD) is a pre-approved provider; this activity counts for up to 2.5 hours
- Law Society of New Brunswick (LSNB): This activity may be eligible for up to 2.5 hours of mandatory continuing professional development (but ultimately it is the lawyer’s responsibility to determine whether it fits the LSNB’s CPD Requirement concerning mandatory continuing education activities)
- Law Society of Ontario (LSO): This activity is eligible for up to 2.5 hours of Substantive content (but ultimately it is the lawyer’s responsibility to determine whether the activity qualifies under the LSO’s CPD Requirement regarding the Substantive content)
- Law Society of Saskatchewan (LSS): This activity is accredited for 2.5 CPD hours
Contact Us
If you are having technical issues accessing the Child Rights Impact Assessment course, contact us using the email icon below.
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