In the same vein of ideas as women and Indigenous peoples who demand that we stop talking and carrying out initiatives for them, but without them, the International Bureau for Children’s Rights (IBCR) works so that young people can participate in decision-making on issues that concern them.
In February 2021, cybertip.ca, Canada’s Internet Child Sexual Exploitation Reporting Center recorded an 88% increase in reports of sextortion. While children were glued to their screens for practically everything during the pandemic, often even school, the IBCR launched the Word for young people project last summer! to better prevent and act against sexual exploitation. Five groups of about ten young people aged 14 to 17 have been created: three in Montreal (at Collège Notre-Dame, at the Maison des jeunes MAGI in Mercier-Ouest and at Motivation jeunesse, which helps young dropouts return to studies and prepare for the job market) and two on the North Shore, at the Patriotes secondary school in Saint-Eustache and the Externat Sacré-Coeur in Rosemère.
During the monthly workshops, they were notably invited to create their own definition of sexual exploitation.
“Then they discussed several issues that they identified as important, such as healthy relationships, manipulation, free and informed consent, adult-child, boy-girl, girl-girl and boy-boy power relationships. ”, illustrates Geneviève Trépanier, in charge of the Word for young people project!
There is also talk of non-consensual sharing of intimate photos. “We discussed what they have the right to do or not, she specifies. We also encourage them to ask themselves what they should do if this happens to them or to a friend. We want young people to be equipped to help each other. We also discuss the importance of involving a trusted adult because sometimes you have to take legal action. »
Prevention campaigns created in recent years were also shown to young people to find out what they thought.
Consultations and recommendations
The workshops carried out during the year have given rise to many reflections and questions; so this summer, young people will be collecting data. “They will consult other young people who are not involved in the project and who have different realities from them,” explains Geneviève Trépanier. They will also consult adults and experts. »
Then, the young people will make recommendations. An advisory committee, made up of people responsible for campaigns to prevent and fight against sexual exploitation, has the mandate to enlighten young people about the issues to be taken into consideration when establishing new policies.
“The members of the advisory committee also see the added value of youth participation: there are things that stand out that are obvious, but others that we would not have thought of,” says Geneviève Trépanier.
Changing ways of doing things
For the IBCR, Words to young people! is one of the ways used to bring decision-makers to listen more to adolescents and to create policies more adapted to their needs and their reality. The international cooperation organization, present in Quebec but also in Africa and Latin America, thus promotes the right to participation of the child, article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“If, in Quebec, progress has been made in families, where we generally listen to children, and in schools, where we now often find children’s councils, there is still a lot of work to be done to further integrate speech young people in the public square about the issues that concern them,” says Julie Dénommée, assistant director for expertise and learning at the IBCR.
It is a change of outlook on the children that the organization is trying to bring about.
“We want children to be seen not only as vulnerable beings who need to be protected, but as beings who have things to say,” says Julie Dénommée.
To achieve this objective, the organization also has other initiatives such as REPERE training (Making children’s participation effective to strengthen their experience) in order to better support child victims or witnesses of criminal offenses in Quebec.
“For example, we work with social workers, judges, police officers and other professionals to get them to encourage better participation among children,” adds Julie Dénommée.
The IBCR was founded in 1992 by Andrée Ruffo, former judge in the Youth Division of the Court of Quebec and Dr. Bernard Kouchner, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of France.