Maytree releases new report calling for stronger mechanisms to implement human rights commitments in Canada
Canada, despite its global image as a champion of human rights, has struggled to implement its international human rights commitments domestically. The just released report, In search of political will: Strengthening Canada’s mechanisms for the domestic implementation of international human rights commitments, authored by Alexi White, Director of Systems Change at Maytree, supports the call for a new national framework for human rights implementation.
The report offers an analysis of the gaps in Canada’s human rights implementation processes and provides recommendations for reforms at both national and provincial/territorial levels. It highlights the critical need for political leadership, intergovernmental cooperation, and structural reforms to close the gap between Canada’s international obligations and domestic human rights outcomes.
“While an increasingly robust system of international human rights law has developed over the past 75 years, Canada has neglected to build the necessary legal foundations, government structures, and political will at home to institutionalize human rights and provide accountability to rights holders,” writes Alexi White. “It’s time for Canada to live up to its international commitments and take tangible steps towards human rights accountability.”
If the report’s recommendations are adopted, it could lead to a more unified and transparent system of human rights implementation, resulting in real accountability and progress in areas such as housing, income security, and education—key components of economic and social rights.