A Children’s Rights Charter for the next UK Government

Date: 24th June 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles

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As the 2024 General Election approaches, the Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) has urged the next UK Government to take immediate and decisive action on children's rights.

The UK ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1991, thereby committing all levels of government, including local authorities, schools, and health services, to uphold its principles and standards. Despite this commitment, CRAE notes that children's rights in the UK have deteriorated significantly. Issues such as severe cuts to children's services, rising child poverty, worsening mental health, widening education gaps, increasing violence, abuse and neglect (including state-perpetrated), persistent discrimination and structural inequality have become widespread.

The Children's Rights Charter calls on the next UK Government to take six concrete steps to put children’s rights at the centre of decision-making, including:

• Develop a children's rights strategy.
• Appoint a Cabinet Minister for Children.
• Introduce mandatory child rights impact assessments.
• Increase budget allocations for children.
• Develop a strategy for increasing awareness, knowledge and understanding of children's rights.
• Incorporate the UNCRC into domestic law.

Similarly, children’s charities in Wales have created a joint manifesto urging all political parties to prioritise the needs of babies, children and young people during and after the UK general election. They call for ambitious policies to improve the lives of children and families, tackle climate change, end child poverty and protect children’s human rights.

They urge the next Westminster Government to ensure children’s rights are central in all decisions and fully prioritised.

 

• Click here to read the Children's Rights Charter in full
• Click here to read the Welsh manifesto