UNICEF Canada Youth Advocacy Program participants deliver their solutions to policymakers and government leaders on National Child Day
Reimagine Playbook lays out a child-focused vision for Canada and calls for national strategy on children and youth
Canada receives failing grade on child poverty; ranks 24th out of 37 high-income countries in UNICEF analysis released today
OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Over a hundred youth leaders and key stakeholders are meeting in Ottawa and virtually today to mark National Child Day at UNICEF Canada's annual Youth Advocacy Summit. Leading this group are participants from UNICEF Canada's Youth Advocacy Program who are calling on the country's leaders to deliver truly generational investments to safeguard children's futures and for the adoption of a national strategy on children and youth.
Their calls to action come at a time when Canada's progress on children is stalling. A global UNICEF report released today ranks Canada 24th out of 37 high-income countries on child poverty. UNICEF Canada, youth leaders, and partners are urging the government to do more to change this failing grade on child poverty that impacts more than one in five children in Canada.
"Canada should have the ambition to be the best place in the world to be a child. Not sitting near the bottom of a list that reveals how we care for our most vulnerable," said Sevaun Palvetzian, President and CEO, UNICEF Canada. "UNICEF youth advocates are delivering that message to leaders in Ottawa today. The views and voices of young people must be heard at decision-making tables, and we need more attention paid to the state of children in Canada today."
Representing communities from across Canada, youth leaders are presenting the Reimagine Playbook to policymakers at today's summit. The playbook lays out their vision for how Canada can improve the lives of children through equitable access to healthcare, inclusive governance and child-rights mechanisms, quality education, and urgent climate action to help break down systemic barriers that keep children and families in poverty. Born under the promise of change, they are ready for action.
Today's timing is significant. National Child Day marks the 36th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the world's most widely ratified treaty, which Canada also signed and ratified. Unfortunately, there is mounting evidence that Canada's progress on children's well-being is stalling. UNICEF's Report Card 19 found that Canada ranks low compared to its peers across various indicators for child and youth well-being. On youth mental health, Report Card 19 shows one in five Canadian children report feeling lonely at school, with just as many experiencing frequent bullying.
"Young people have thoughtful and innovative ideas, and we want to be part of the solution," said 19-year-old Juliette, Participant, UNICEF Canada Youth Advocacy Program. "We envision a future where every child in Canada and around the world has their rights honoured, respected, and protected – not just in principle, but in practice."
Investing in children and youth unlocks huge opportunities for the country's future and more must be done to support the next generation. UNICEF Canada is calling for a clear and ambitious national strategy to secure the future for children and youth.
Visit the UNICEF Canada National Child Day website to learn more.
About UNICEF Canada: UNICEF is the world's farthest-reaching humanitarian organization for children. They work in more than 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. For over 75 years, UNICEF has delivered life-saving aid in the world's most complex situations. UNICEF Canada is the national committee tasked with fundraising and advocacy to advance children's rights globally.
SOURCE Canadian Unicef Committee
Media contacts: Jeff Junke, [email protected]; Heather Robinson, [email protected]
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