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xTogether (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights) Annual Report 2023-24: Reflecting on a year of progress
Date: 20th September 2024
Category:
Policies & procedures, Funding
We are pleased to share our Annual Report 2023-24, which highlights a year of significant developments in the promotion and protection of children’s rights across Scotland.
Throughout this period, Together and its members worked tirelessly to support the full incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law. A key moment in this work was the contribution of our Rights Detectives, whose research shaped the reconsideration of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill. Their powerful ‘spider’s web’ analogy vividly illustrated the Bill’s role in capturing and addressing breaches of children’s rights, gaining widespread recognition in Parliament. The Rights Detectives also extended their research to Scotland’s proposed new Human Rights Bill, ensuring that the views of children and young people informed this significant piece of legislation.
Our year was marked by ongoing collaboration with members and children to shape policy and legislative developments. We supported the involvement of children and young people in high-level consultations, including their participation in the UN Committee’s review of the UK in 2023. Through our #RightsOnTrack campaign, we ensured that the Scottish Government and other duty bearers are held to account for the UN Committee’s recommendations, with children and young people leading the charge.
This year also saw Together take on Chair of the Rights of the Child (UK) Coalition, with support generously provided by Cattanach. This work fostered mutual learning and coordinated advocacy efforts across the UK children’s rights alliances, with plans for a UK-wide conference in Edinburgh in autumn 2024. Additionally, with generous funding from Cattanach, we will be able to expand our focus on the rights of babies and young children, further embedding early years' rights into Scotland’s legislative and policy landscape.
Looking back, we are proud of the progress made in 2023-24. We are grateful for the support of our members, funders, and partners, whose collaboration has been essential in advancing children’s rights in Scotland.