The world marches towards equality
Many associations in Quebec and around the world contribute to the philosophy and action of women and men pursuing the ideals of social justice and equality in schools. This page provides links to the sites set up by these associations.
Countless actions continue to be taken around the world to make education a right, yet, for many children, this goal has still not been attained. Help us keep pace with the world by telling us about sites where citizens can develop their awareness, draw inspiration, find tools and forge ties with others! To contact us, click here.
In Quebec
The Ligue des droits et libertés
The Ligue des droits et libertés is an independent, non-partisan organisation that defends and promotes all the rights defined the International Bill of Human Rights.
Rapport social
In this report, the Ligue denounces our governments’ violations of the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) as well as the erosion of these rights in Quebec.
Pages 21 and 22 of the report focus on the right to education.
Link (in French)
CSQ / Jocelyn Berthelot
Jocelyn Berthelot, author, researcher with the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) and member of the Centre de recherche et d’intervention sur le réussite scolaire (CRIRES), published the results of his research on education in Quebec in the context of globalization. In fact, his research prompted him to introduce a new social covenant on education. In his book entitled L’École, c’est pour la vie, Jocelyn Berthelot argues that Quebec’s new education model has fallen into the clutches of neo-liberalism. Berthelot offers a new social covenant on education that could put an end to the apartheid that has crept into our school system. The author also proposes a series of measures for disadvantaged neighbourhoods and students with difficulties.
Link (in French)
First Nations Education Council
The First Nations Education Council is an association built on the collective strength of all nations in Quebec working toward the common goal of quality education for all First Nations children.
Multi-Ethnic Association for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities
The Multi-Ethnic Association for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities is a non-profit organization that brings together people with disabilities, as well as their parents and family members, from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, regardless of age, type of disability or status.
The Association has published documents that address issues related to education, including Un véritable virage du succès : Les élèves handicapés ou en difficulté d'adaptation ou d'apprentissage des communautés ethnoculturelles and L'intégration des élèves handicapés issus des communautés ethnoculturelles. Summaries, references and an order form are available on this page.
Quebec Social Forum
The first Quebec Social Forum was held in August 2007. This event is part of a phenomenon of world social forums that have been held every year since 2001 in various countries, including Brazil, India, Venezuela, Mali, Pakistan and Kenya. These forums are an opportunity to reflect, share and implement initiatives to promote an alternative world based on sustainability, solidarity, justice, equality and harmony. For a few days, the Quebec Social Forum served as a meeting place for individuals who believe in a fairer society, oppose the advancement of neo-liberal capitalism and all its forms of oppression, in Quebec and around the world, and are committed to building a society rooted in democracy and solidarity. One of the themes addressed at the Forum was the struggle against the commercialization of public services and social programs such as health and education. The Forum stressed accessibility, equity and justice in our school system, and framed education in terms of social rights. It also explored alternatives to the privatization of the commons.
Link (in French)
The Institut du Nouveau Monde
The Institut du Nouveau Monde is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization, committed to generating new ideas and holding public debates in Quebec.
Link (in French)
The Great Declaration is a large-scale project in which the Institute brings together youth from around the world in the context of a Declaration that captures the principles and values they are seeking to promote worldwide, namely, openness, solidarity, social justice and equity. With a focus on education, the environment, politics, justice, economics, family health, culture and law, the Declaration is the fruit of deliberations led by youth, and involves various phases of writing, consultation, amendment and ratification. The Great Declaration will be officially proclaimed in Quebec City during the city’s 400th anniversary celebrations, on UN International Youth Day, August 12, 2008.
Across Canada
Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children
The Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children has been representing children's organizations in Canada since 1989. The CCRC brings together Canadian organizations and individuals who are concerned about the rights of children.
Campaign 2000: End child poverty in Canada
Campaign 2000 is a cross-Canada public education movement to build Canadian awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons resolution to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000. Campaign 2000 began in 1991 out of concern about the lack of government progress in addressing child poverty. Campaign 2000 is non-partisan in urging all Canadian elected officials to keep their promise to Canada's children.
People for Education
People for Education is a group of parents working to support and preserve public education in Ontario. This group has chosen to take action through research, by making information available to the general public and by encouraging citizens to take concrete action in response to the challenges of education facing their communities. Since 1997, the group has been investigating the impact of policy and funding changes on Ontario’s elementary schools.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social and economic justice. Founded in 1980, the CCPA is one of Canada’s leading progressive voices in public policy debates.
Our Schools / Our Selves
This quarterly journal provides a much needed forum for discussion, information distribution and collaboration on issues of pedagogy, action, social justice and educational content. Since its establishment in 1988, is has published on a variety of education issues, including: commercialism in schools; young women in trades; labour, education and the arts; high-stakes testing; streaming of working class students; schools and social justice; and teaching for democratic citizenship.
National Child Day
This day marks the United Nations adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its ratification in Canada in 1991. National Child Day is celebrated in Canada every year on November 20.
Around the world
Convention on the Rights of the Child
The Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulates the fundamental rights of all children in the world. It is the most important binding international legal instrument designed to ensure that the world recognizes the rights of all children. The Convention protects children’s rights by setting standards with regard to health and education as well as legal, civil and social services.
UNICEF
UNICEF’s mission is to defend the rights of children, help them meet their basic needs and provide them with more opportunities to achieve their full potential. UNICEF’s efforts to reach these goals are informed by the provisions and principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
UNESCO
UNESCO’s prime mandate is to ensure free access to education, a universal right.
Consult UNESCO’s Education Programme.
Global Campaign for Education
The Global Campaign for education defends education as a basic human right. By mobilizing public opinion to demand that government and the international community honour their promise to offer free and mandatory public education to all individuals, namely children, women and all disadvantaged and underprivileged sectors of the population.
The Global Campaign for Education organizes the worldwide initiative “JOIN UP! Education Rights Now!.”
World Education Forum
The World Education Forum was the first and most important event in education at the dawn of the new millennium. By adopting the Framework for Action, the 1,100 participants of the Forum reaffirmed their commitment to achieving Education for All by the year 2015 and entrusted UNESCO with the overall responsibility of coordinating all international players and sustaining the global momentum. This website keeps you up to date on the World Education Forum’s actions, and provides an overview of the process leading up to the Forum and to the conference itself.
The Applied Research Center
The Applied Research Center promotes racial justice in the United States through research, rights advocacy and journalism. The Center advocates racial equity, with a particular focus on education, health, immigration
and poverty.
The Centre has developed a tool that can be used to determine if a school meets the racial equity standards. Making the Grade is a simple software program that guides journalists, parents, students and teachers through the different research phases. The software then generates a scale from “A” to “F” and explains where the school is failing in terms of equality in education.