New Paper: Girls Rights are Human Rights!

Date: 8th April 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles, Non-discrimination

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This paper is written by Kate Nevens and Ellie Hutchinson in collaboration with Zero Tolerance. The paper looks at the state of girls’ Human Rights in Scotland- across areas such as safety, education, play, health and participation.

As the Scottish Government advances Scottish Human Rights Legislation and implements CEDAW and the UNCRC, this is an opportunity to address this and ensure girls’ rights are realised. However, the Scottish Government must consider girls’ needs at every stage when developing policy and practice.

Zero Tolerance makes seven recommendations on how to this.

1. Collect disaggregated data across all areas of children’s rights, and analyse the intersections between gender, age and other protected characteristics.
2. Use gender-specific language to make girls visible.
3. Ensure gender specialists are involved in decisions on all aspects of children’s rights policy.
4. Prioritise consulting and engaging with girls and consider how dynamics of gender should apply to participation goals and projects.
5. Support and fund organisations working with girls and identify ways to support vulnerable groups of girls.
6. Ensure that incorporation of different human rights treaties is mutually reinforcing, with a focus on girls’ rights across all legislation.
7. Support training and education to understand and implement children’s rights from a gendered perspective.

• Click here to read or download full paper.