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| The Organization for
the Protection of Children’s Rights (O.P.C.R.)
is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 by Mr.
Riccardo Di Done. Its mission is to protect and defend
the rights of children and adolescents in difficulty and more
particularly, those experiencing problems resulting from family
conflicts and/or the break down of the family. The O.P.C.R.
does its best to try to improve the unacceptable situation of
children in Canada and worldwide by taking various initiatives
which focus mainly on prevention, education and intervention. |
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| The O.P.C.R. intervenes in these
sectors at various levels by: |
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Conducting and/or sponsoring
research projects
related to the problems associated with the child and modern day
families in collaboration with specialists from various fields such
as health and social services, regular and special education, legal,
etc. Juvenile delinquency, school drop out, physical and psychological
violence, suicide and drug and alcohol abuse are directly related
to family conflicts and break ups; |
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Developing awareness tools as well
as intervention and prevention strategies aimed at minimizing the
negative effects of the break up of the family on children, adolescents
and parents; |
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Organizing
international conferences and summits. The O.P.C.R.
does not limit its work to interventions among individuals in difficulty.
It also attempts to help advance the family issue within our society; |
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Presenting briefs
and recommendations on all legal aspects and procedures bearing
an impact on the family; |
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Producing books,
documentaries and educational videos; |
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Collaborating with different community organizations
both at the national and international levels; |
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Organizing numerous annual
activities, such as Christmas Shows, summer camps and others
for the benefit of thousands of underprivileged children of the greater
metropolitan Montreal and Quebec regions which are particularly affected
by poverty. |
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| The O.P.C.R.’s specific
objectives ever since its foundation are to: |
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Determine and define the rights of children for
these rights to eventually be legally binding; |
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Clarify the rights of children while bearing in
mind their age categories; |
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Sensitize children as of the elementary level
about their future parental responsibilities; |
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Promote family mediation in situations of family
break up and see to it that children’s rights are also respected; |
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Favor and encourage the use of new legal terms
which are more positive and generate less conflict. For example: replace
«child custody» with «parental responsibility»; |
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Promote the creation of a specialized court to
resolve family conflicts and a formal complaint office; |
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Present briefs and recommendations to the different
levels of government with the intention that the family laws and policies
reflect the needs of children. |
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| The O.P.C.R. also pursues
the following objectives, namely: |
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Sensitize the population, Governments and courts
on the importance and urgency of resolving the problems that children
and families worldwide are faced with; |
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Inform and educate the public, media and those
with decisional powers; |
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Influence national, international and world policies; |
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Urge and obtain commitments from the government
of all countries to concretely put programs and policies into place
which consider and meet the basic and elementary needs of all children
and their families on both the material and emotional levels; |
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Promote initiatives that place the importance
on and respect the rights of children to live in an environment which
favors their well being and allows them to attain their full potential; |
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Protect the rights of children and adolescents
in Canada and throughout the world. |
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| The O.P.C.R. wishes
to give children, the most underprivileged individuals of our society,
the opportunity to speak out. One of its objectives is to ensure that
this voice is made public and that the well being of children becomes
the uncontested priority of communities worldwide. Our obligation
toward our children – and ourselves – is to make a difference
in the life of the many children who depend on us to ensure their
future. |
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| Because their future... is
also ours ! |
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Copyright ©
2002 - OPCR -
All rights reserved. |
