Monitoring CRC-GC7: Rights in Early Childhood Clyde Hertzman Human Early Learning Partnership on behalf of the GC7 Monitoring Group

Why monitor CRC GC: 7 in Canada?

Sensitive Periods in Early Brain Development Vision High Low Years Habitual ways of responding Emotional control Symbol Peer social skills Numbers Hearing Graph developed by Council for Early Child Development (ref: Nash, 1997; Early Years Study, 1999; Shonkoff, 2000.) Pre-school yearsSchool years Language

Life Course Problems Related to Early Life Experiences 2 nd Decade 3 rd /4 th Decade 5 th /6 th Decade Old Age School Failure Teen Pregnancy Criminality Obesity Elevated Blood Pressure Depression Coronary Heart Disease Diabetes Premature Aging Memory Loss

What influences early child development? The experiences children have in the environments where they grow up, live and learn.

The Early Development Instrument

What Does the EDI Measure?

What the maps reveal… Large local area differences in the proportion of developmentally vulnerable children

The high proportion of avoidable vulnerability What the maps reveal…

Commission’s recommendation ‘equity from the start’

Rationale for linking ECD to Rights Build upon the monitoring capacity of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to orchestrate a global conversation on supporting child development ‘from the start’.

2005: indicators group forms; approaches CRC Monitoring Committee; argues that GC:7 is impractical/underused and there is a need for user-friendly and useful GC:7 indicators 2006: CRC Monitoring Committee invites group to develop indicators that would assist States’ reporting and promote CRC GC:7 realization UN-CRC GC:7 Indicators

Who is involved in CRC GC: 7 Indicators group?

UN-CRC GC-7 Indicators Group HELPAKFCGECCD UNICEF ICC WHO SOS-K. Intl CRC BvL

Why a General Comment on Rights in Early Childhood? In response to the observation that children<8 were often overlooked in States Parties’ reporting Where discussed, references were limited to child mortality and …, neglecting the broad scope of child right The States Parties simply overlooked their obligations towards young children

Why indicators? Why monitoring? Procedural rights vs Substantive rights

Why indicators? Why monitoring? Procedural rights = immediate realization Substantive rights = ‘progressive realization’

Why indicators? Why monitoring? CRC:GC7 is mostly about substantive rights You can only tell if there is ‘progressive realization’ by monitoring over time. Monitoring can create a bridge between population health and human rights.

2005: indicators group forms; approaches CRC Monitoring Committee; argues that GC:7 is impractical/underused and there is a need for user-friendly and useful GC:7 indicators 2006: CRC Monitoring Committee invites group to develop indicators that would assist States’ reporting and promote CRC GC:7 realization : indicators of GC:7 are developed, merging population health and rights cultures UN-CRC GC:7 Indicators

Assist States Parties with preparation of their report to the Monitoring Committee Monitor the progressive realization of rights in early childhood CRC GC: 7 Indicators were meant to:

We created15 Indicator Clusters matching CRC reporting guidelines General Measures of Implementation (4) Civil rights and freedoms (1) Family environment and alternative care (2) Basic health and welfare (3) Education, leisure and cultural activities (4) Special protection measures (1) 1.Dissemination of GC7 2.Constructing and implementing the positive agenda 3.Human Rights training 4.Data collection system Birth registration 1.Participation in household decision making 2.Violence against young children 1.Basic material needs 2.Child survival and health 3.Age-appropriate health education 1.Early education service provision 2.Educational service provision for vulnerable 3.Knowledge of right and capacity to support it 4.Play, leisure and rest opportunitites Inclusive policy and provisions for vulnerable groups

Structural Components of Indicators

Are there improving trends in children’s development measured by cognitive, physical health, and socio-emotional outcomes? Are there improving trends in children’s development measured by cognitive, physical health, and socio-emotional outcomes? Steps to investigate lack of response Steps to have such policies in place Are there processes to evaluate and improve human resources as far as the early education system is concerned? No Steps to have such policies in place Are there policies in place to ensure that both primary and pre-school provisions are suitably child-centered, child-friendly, rights based, and aligned with the GC7 principles and the aims of education? Suggestions Develop policies for Provision of appropriate early childhood education Develop policies to promote equal access (for boys and girls) to these services Suggestions collect population level baseline data on ECD If data exist, investigate potential causes for this lack response by data disaggregation Suggestions mobility, training, and recruitment. financial or non- financial compensations No

Are there improving trends in children’s development measured by cognitive, physical health, and socio-emotional outcomes (DHS, MICS, EDI, etc.)? Suggestions collect population level baseline data on ECD If data exist, investigate potential causes for this lack response by data disaggregation EDI data collection around the world Are there improving trends in children’s development measured by cognitive, physical health, and socio-emotional outcomes? Are there improving trends in children’s development measured by cognitive, physical health, and socio-emotional outcomes? Steps to investigate lack of response ON BC annual EDI data

What the manual provides Introduction Relevant CRC articles Excerpts from concluding observations Indicators unpacked Structural indicators Process indicators Outcome indicators Indicators unpacked Structural indicators Process indicators Outcome indicators Key question Flowchart and suggestions Where to look for data Duty bearers Words of caution Where to look for data Duty bearers Words of caution Country example Indicator table Commitments made Actions taken measurable changes in the "rights environments" or in ECD measures

May 2008: GC:7 indicators were presented to the monitoring committee CRC GC-7 Indicators

Piloting Strategy Low income: Tanzania Middle income: Chile High income: Canada (?)

Pilot testing the manual Implementation manual of GC:7 indicators GC:7 Indicators General Comment 7(GC:7) Implementing child right in early childhood Child Right Convention

Objectives of the pilot To test the relevance and feasibility of each indicator To further refine the indicators and the flow charts To understand whether or not the process serves as a means of national, institutional self-study

Potential benefits for pilot country Capacity building Better reporting system Awareness raising How many “No”s, how many “Yes”s in the system? How to turn “No’s to “Yes”s? How to use “Yes”s and “No”s to describe the status of child rights in the country and communicate it to UN-CRC?

Capacities recorded for main clusters of CRC during TZ-Pilot

Achievements 1.A combined human and technical process Technical aspect -- a thorough inventory check of the existing capacities around CRC in 3 months! Human aspect -- strengthening and enhancing the quality of the inter-ministerial relationships 2.Engaging traditionally under-represented key CR players 3.Positive impact on ongoing CR projects

Challenges 1.GC:7 an unknown document 2.Existing data is archived in an unknown place 3.In the absence of outcome data the quantified information may oversimplify the country’s situation 4.Computerization would increase efficiency

For the Chile pilot Development of an electronic version of the manual to: reduce labor-intensiveness reduce reliance on external technical support provide a template that compiles the evidence for CRC reporting

For the Chile pilot Take the pilot right through the inter- sectoral appraisal of information and report writing. To be completed by Sept-Oct of 2011, in time for revisions.

The sequence of events of pilots Feasibility assessment Creating an MOU Recruiting the Task Force (TF); creating advisory/management structure Training the TF Data collection – 3-4 months time window Midterm evaluation Data review Wrap up meeting & Summary

What has been required of a TF member? Attending 3 meetings with the entire pilot team; training, midterm, wrap up meeting. Attending approx. 6 meetings with the team; 2 meeting per month during the 3 months of data collection period. Time commitment of about 5 hours a week for working on the indicators and compiling data.

The Forward Plan Final indicators and implementation manual to CRC Monitoring Committee Use our template for the balance of the Convention and General Comments Revise in light of Chile experience Pilot in an upper income country…Canada???? Have indicators promulgated for use in all 193 signatory countries

For further info: visit the Global Knowledge Hub for ECD at : or contact --