Building support for the CRC, one step at a time

As you know from our advocacy page on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), as a member of the Campaign for U.S. Ratification of the CRC, we continue to urge the Obama Administration to move the treaty ratification process forward. A couple of items that came across my desk recently reminded me that Americans of good conscience also believe we can better support children both in this country and around the world by ratifying the CRC.

In April, New York State Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee and 30 of her colleagues sent a letter to President Obama and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, urging them to move forward with CRC ratification. These state legislators noted that the ratifying the CRC would reinforce our Nation's commitment to children everywhere, and provide us with a set of standards and principles to address issues that children face here in the United States. "Whenever a child's most basic rights are being denied or abused anywhere, we are obligated as a Nation to act," said Assemblywoman Jaffee. "Our leaders must recognize our moral role in the world to stand up for the rights of children both in and outside of our borders."

New York State

New York State Assem-blywoman Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern) spearheaded a letter signed by 30 fellow state legislators urging the President and Senate to ratify the CRC.

As you know from our advocacy page on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), as a member of the Campaign for U.S. Ratification of the CRC, we continue to urge the Obama Administration to move the treaty ratification process forward. A couple of items that came across my desk recently reminded me that Americans of good conscience also believe we can better support children both in this country and around the world by ratifying the CRC.

In April, New York State Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee and 30 of her colleagues sent a letter to President Obama and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, urging them to move forward with CRC ratification. These state legislators noted that the ratifying the CRC would reinforce our Nation's commitment to children everywhere, and provide us with a set of standards and principles to address issues that children face here in the United States.

"Whenever a child's most basic rights are being denied or abused anywhere, we are obligated as a Nation to act," said Assemblywoman Jaffee. "Our leaders must recognize our moral role in the world to stand up for the rights of children both in and outside of our borders."

On March 24, a group of students from St. Raphael's Academy of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, made the short hop to the State House in Providence. These Catholic School students testified before members of the Rhode Island House and Senate in support of a State Resolution that the students had written themselves, entitled "Respectfully Urging the President and United States Senate to Adopt the 'Convention on the Rights of the Child' in Its Entirety."

"I am very proud of our students," said Maryann Donohue-Lynch, Principal of Saint Raphael. "They were clear, articulate and filled with zeal for this flagship cause of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. They fielded difficult questions and handled them well."

Even with all our Nation's economic and political troubles, concerned citizens of all ages still take the time and effort to advocate for the world's children. Our hats are off at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to Assemblywoman Jaffee and her colleagues, and to Saint Raphael's Academy!