Date: 30th April 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, General measures of implementation

On 19th February 2019 a letter was sent from the four Children’s Commissioners of the United Kingdom to Rt. Hon Stephen Barclay MP, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. The letter sought assurances on some of the immediate issues facing children’s safety of a No Deal Brexit.

Date: 30th April 2019
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms

Scottish Government’s Children and Families Directorate has been working on a new visual to articulate the purpose and approach to Getting it Right for Every Child. 

Date: 30th April 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Equal protection from violence, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Bullying

UNICEF and Eurochild launched an online survey, inviting children and young people to share their views on the Europe they want. ‘Europe Kids Want’ gathered children’s and young people’s experiences of family-life, school, society and their thoughts on Europe. The online survey is active until 30 June 2019

Date: 30th April 2019
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Family Environment and Alternative Care

A first draft of the Bucharest Children’s Declaration has been developed by a group of 25 Romanian children, the so-called Romanian Children’s Board, in consultations with other children in Romania. The draft Declaration is now open for feedback from both children and organisations working with and for children. Consultations can be organized with children on the Declaration and its results can be included in the feedback form.

Date: 30th April 2019
Category: Reporting to and monitoring the UNCRC, Other human rights treaties and mechanisms, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, General principles, General measures of implementation

In his next thematic report to the General Assembly, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders will address the topic of impunity for human rights violations and abuses committed against human rights defenders. This report will be presented to the 74th session of the General Assembly in October 2019. Deadline: Monday 6th May 2019 This is an opportunity to secure a chapter on children.  

Date: 30th April 2019
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

On 27 February, the European Commission released its 2019 Country Reports, which provide an analysis of economic and social policies in each EU Member State. This year, the European Semester is of particular importance because it details investment priorities that will shape the programming of structural funds in every country for the next EU Budget 2021-2027.

Date: 18th April 2019
Category: Mental health, Access to appropriate information, Equal protection from violence, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Protection of privacy, Recreation, play and cultural activities, Best interests of the child

The Information Commissioner has launched a draft of the Age Appropriate Design Code for consultation. The Commissioner has dubbed the code as “a new deal between children and the tech sector.

Date: 2nd April 2019
Category: Disabled children, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms

Child Rights Connect has been following three resolutions at the Human Rights Council that were tabled on 14th March 2019 on empowering children with disabilities, recognising children as environmental human rights defenders and celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the UNCRC.

Date: 2nd April 2019
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms

In response to the adoption of the Resolution on environmental human rights defenders, Child Rights Connect has shared a press release circulated by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and the Special Rapporteur. They highlight the importance of the resolution for children who are currently standing up for their right to a healthy and sustainable environment.

Date: 28th March 2019
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

The Opening Doors for Europe’s Children – a pan-European campaign that advocates for strengthening families and ending institutional care – released 16 country fact sheets about the progress with the transition from institutional to family and community-based care (also known as deinstitutionalisation) in 2018.

Date: 28th March 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, General principles

The Romanian Presidency of the European Union has made “children’s right to participate in decisions that affect them” a top priority in the EU. 

Date: 21st March 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Access to appropriate information, Equal protection from violence, Freedom of association and peaceful assembly, Freedom of thought, conscience and religion, Protection of privacy, Restraint

Closing date: 14th April 2019. This year, for the 30th anniversary of the CRC, Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign will be focused on young human rights defenders (aged 25 and under) and they are looking for 10 amazing young people defending human rights to spotlight the campaign.

Date: 21st March 2019
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Civil Rights and Freedoms

In December 2019, Scottish Ministers laid before Parliament a report on actions relevant to children’s rights taken over the past three years and an Action Plan for the next three years, in line with Part 1 duties included in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. As part of the work towards achieving the commitments laid out in the Action Plan, the Children’s Rights and Participation Team is hosting six, free unconference events, ‘Rights Cafés’, around Scotland.

Date: 20th March 2019
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms

A new report by YouthLink Scotland and Youth Scotland shows youth workers have witnessed a negative impact on community relations since the EU Referendum in June 2016. The Hear.EU report explores the impact of Brexit on the youth work sector in Scotland.

Date: 14th March 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

Last week, the Scottish Government held the third annual Cabinet meeting with children and young people at Bute House, Edinburgh.

Date: 13th March 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Protection of privacy

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), of the United States, has said that Musical.ly app, which was later acquired and incorporated into TikTok, illegally and knowingly collected information from children under the age of 13.

Date: 13th March 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Health and health services, Equal protection from violence

A new report reveals how national and local government is failing to protect children in England whilst policymakers focus on Brexit, leaving children traumatised, powerless and vulnerable to abuse in many areas of their lives. The State of Children’s Rights in 2018 report includes new data gathered using Freedom of Information requests which highlights issues such as: housing and accommodation, increasing violence against children, and the increased use of spit hoods by police. 

Date: 7th March 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Child Rights Connect had prepared a statement to be presented on 28th February at the Human Rights Council’s interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur, Michel Forst, on human rights defenders.

Date: 7th March 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, General principles, General measures of implementation

Closing date 15 May 2019. The Committee on the Rights of a Child will set a new international standard for children’s rights in a digital world. It is necessary and timely, as children grow up in an increasingly connected world where technology has critically significant impacts on their lives.

Date: 5th March 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, General measures of implementation, Special protection measures, Age of criminal responsibility

Together’s Director spoke at a recent meeting of the Cross-Party Group on Children and Young People. The meeting on 6th February 2019 was convened to discuss the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill. The Bill currently proposes raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 8 years old (the lowest in Europe) to 12.