Together’s Director presents at UN briefing on children’s rights and COVID-19

Date: 5th May 2020
Category: General measures of implementation, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

The virtual briefing allowed for an initial exchange between Permanent Missions to the United Nations, providing them an opportunity to hear directly from children about their experiences, raising awareness of existing guidance on adopting child rights-based responses, sharing examples of national implementation and identifying gaps where further guidance is needed.

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Scottish Government reiterates commitment to incorporation timetable

Date: 5th May 2020
Category: Incorporation

Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Children and Young People, has restated Scottish Government’s commitment to incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) within the current parliamentary term and to introduce a Bill later this year. The commitment comes as Scottish Government works to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen its work reprioritised and changes to the legislative programme.

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COVID-19: Together’s members write to new Interim Director of Children and Families

Date: 1st May 2020
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Family Environment and Alternative Care, Incorporation

The joint letter welcomes Iona Colvin to the post and offers our members’ support and expertise in assisting Scottish Government to secure appropriate rights-based responses to the current pandemic.

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COVID-19: Together examines the human rights implications of UK Government’s crisis response

Date: 1st May 2020
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Family Environment and Alternative Care, General measures of implementation

Together’s response to a UK Parliament Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) inquiry highlights the steps governments (UK and devolved) must take to ensure responses are human rights compliant, discusses the effect of specific measures on children’s rights and uses evidence kindly provided by our members to demonstrate some of the groups disproportionately impacted by UK and Scottish Government measures.

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Edinburgh University students present research findings to Scottish Government

Date: 1st May 2020
Category: Incorporation

Together has been working with the University of Edinburgh to co-deliver the Human Rights Clinic course. The aim of the project was to support Scottish Government’s understanding about where current law can be improved as it develops legislation to incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law.

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Scottish Youth Parliament holds virtual awards ceremony

Date: 1st May 2020
Category:

The annual Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) Awards recognise and celebrate the amazing work of Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) and their Support Workers. This year in place of an event at the Scottish Parliament the award ceremony was held on Twitter.

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People in Scottish prisons may soon have access to secure mobile phones and tablets to contact their families

Date: 1st May 2020
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Family Environment and Alternative Care, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service have announced plans to give people in Scottish prisons access to secure mobile phones and tablets to facilitate contact with their families.

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Children’s Commissioner releases new strategic plan

Date: 1st May 2020
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Family Environment and Alternative Care

The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland has set out its new strategic plan for the next four years, informed by legislation and the views of children and young people.

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Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill introduced

Date: 1st May 2020
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms

The Bill aims to do three things; update existing laws, bring most of these laws into one bill and add to the groups currently specifically protected by hate crime laws.

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COVID-19: Scottish Government’s recognition of taking a human rights approach to pandemic

Date: 1st May 2020
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Family Environment and Alternative Care, General principles

Scottish Government has recently published a framework which will guide its decision-making when transitioning out of the current lockdown arrangements. The framework focuses on balancing the requirement to suppress the virus and the need to safeguard human rights and uphold human dignity throughout the transition.

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