Scottish Parliament debate on protecting & promoting child rights

Date: 17th November 2015
Category: Reporting to and monitoring the UNCRC, Awareness-raising, General measures of implementation

Following a motion lodged by Roderick Campbell MSP, the Scottish Parliament debated the subject of Universal Children's Day on 17th November.

The motion lodged by Roderick Campbell MSP states:

That the Parliament recognises that 20 November is Universal Children's Day; understands that this commemorative day was established by the UN in 1954 and is devoted to promoting the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; recognises the necessity of protecting and promoting children's rights not just in North East Fife and across Scotland, but around the rest of the world; believes that this will help ensure that children can survive and thrive, learn and grow, have their voices heard and reach their full potential; understands that violations of children's rights continue to take place across the world; applauds the work of organisations that are devoted to tackling and confronting such abuse, and commends the Cross Party Group on Children and Young People on what it sees as its efforts to promote dialogue about and an understanding of the realisation of children's rights in Scotland and in encouraging the promotion of Scotland's international obligations to allow every child worldwide the opportunity to enjoy their childhood with freedom and dignity.

The debate took place on Tuesday 17th November 2015, at 5pm in the Scottish Parliament Chamber.

The debate preceded the launch of the Child Rights Manifesto at the Cross Party Group (CPG) for Children and Young People on Wednesday 18th November 2015. This Manifesto has been created by a sub-group of CPG members and reflects the views of children and young people about how they expect decision-makers to act, in order for them to enjoy their rights as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

The CPG will request current and candidate MSPs to sign-up to the Child Rights Manifesto, in advance of the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections, to show their commitment to respecting, protecting and fulfilling children's rights and to pledge to be #ChildRightsChamps.

More information about the Manifesto including a copy to download and instructions of how to sign-up will be available on the Together website.

The CPG on the Child Rights Manifesto will take place at 12:30pm on Wednesday 18th November in Committee Room 1.

Universal Children's Day is the 20th November and is celebrated each year to promote children's rights and to encourage States to take stronger measures to ensure that all children enjoy all of their rights, all of the time.