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xOver 120 charities unite in call for Ministers to put children’s rights at the heart of UK law
Date: 29th September 2025
Category:
Incorporation
A coalition of over 120 charities and organisations working with children and young people has issued a call to UK Government Ministers to make children’s rights a legal priority.
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Why does this matter?
The 121 organisations including UNICEF UK, the Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE), Just for Law and Save the Children UK have argued that England is lagging behind Wales and Scotland in giving weight to children’s rights in law and policy.
Although children have rights to education, healthcare, adequate standard of living, safety from violence or abuse, freedom of expression and privacy etc, currently, there is no legal requirement on UK Ministers to systematically consider those rights when making policy decisions or drafting new legislation that affects children’s rights.
What they are asking for?
The coalition of 121 charities and organisations are demanding the full incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into UK law as this would ensure full protection of children’s rights. Furthermore, they are urging Ministers to support amendments to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, proposed by Baroness Lister.
In April 2025, CRAE published a briefing ahead of the House of Lords’ Second Reading of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Together was among the organisations that signed this briefing. The briefing highlighted a crucial gap: the lack of a statutory duty for government ministers to consider children’s rights when shaping laws and policies. The Alliance called for a legal requirement for ministers to consider children’s rights and to carry out Child Rights Impact Assessments on policies affecting children.