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xTogether responds to hate crime consultation
Date: 28th February 2019
Category:
Civil Rights and Freedoms
Together has responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on hate crime legislation in Scotland. The consultation sought views on the recommendations of the Independent Review of Hate Crime Legislation led by Lord Bracadale in 2018.
Together’s response emphasises the impact that experiencing hate crimes has on children’s rights under the UNCRC, in particular the right to equality and non-discrimination (Article 2) and the right to be free from violence and abuse (Article 19). In earlier work around hate crime, Together called for the law to be extended to cover characteristics not already protected, including gender and age. Together welcomes Lord Bracadale’s recommendations to extend hate crime legislation to include these.
It is essential that the development of new policy and legislation takes a rights-based approach. Accordingly, Together recommended the completion of a Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) and called for any new legislation to be underpinned by robust, rights-based guidance, informed by children and young people’s views. Read Together’s response here.