New UN report criticises UK for disproportionate impact of austerity on children

Date: 12th July 2016
Category: Child rights impact assessments

Following the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's June 2016 Concluding Observations, a new set of Concluding Observations have also been released by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) for the UK.

The OHCHR examines and monitors the progression of implementing ICESCR, which looks at economic, social and cultural rights. All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights are being implemented. As with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Human Rights Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of 'concluding observations'.

Of note in these new ICESCR Concluding Observations is the concern also shared by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child about the impact of welfare reform on children's rights and its disproportionate effect on children. Together are also pleased to see highlighted concerns around the repeal of the Human Rights Act, which is currently the only legal protection that children have over their rights.

• See the full ICESCR Concluding Observations for the UK here.
• The SHRC has also published its submission to ICESCR.