Date: 24th June 2024
Category: Violence against children, General measures of implementation

The United Nations has added Israel and Hamas to its global list of states and armed groups that have committed violations against children. This inclusion follows eight months of conflict in Gaza, where over 13,000 children are estimated to be among the 36,500 killed. The announcement came a day after an Israeli bombing of a UN school in Gaza resulted in over 40 Palestinian deaths, including children.

Date: 24th June 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Enquire is looking for inputs from adults and professionals to help shape the development of Navigate which is the next stage of Enquire’s promise project. Navigate is a toolkit focused on Care Experienced children and young people’s educational rights.

Date: 24th June 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, Family Environment and Alternative Care

The Shared Care Scotland carers’ experience survey will gather carers’ insights and experiences of accessing and using short breaks and respite services in Scotland. This survey is open to all unpaid carers in Scotland.

Date: 24th June 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

This focus report reviews the barriers faced by marginalised groups at risk of poverty, particularly families with imprisoned members. In it, Scottish Government highlights challenges and effective strategies across three key poverty drivers: income, cost of living, and social support.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, Child poverty

Poverty remains a significant barrier to children's access to their rights. It is now more common to be in working poverty in Scotland than it is to be in poverty and out-of-work – in fact, 170,000 children living in relative poverty live in households where at least one person works. The most recent figures show relative child poverty is on the rise, with one in four Scottish children living in poverty.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

The Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland (CYPCS) has introduced its plan for the next four years, based on children and young people’s experiences, insights, and opinions.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, Family Environment and Alternative Care, Special protection measures

The Children (Care and Justice) Bill has passed Stage 3 and is set to become law. This is to enshrine into law age-appropriate care and justice for children and young people whose rights are at risk.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation

Following an open recruitment process which sought candidates with a proven track record of promoting human rights, experience of successfully leading an organisation and other reputable skills. Angela O’Hagan has been appointed as the new Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles

A new report, commissioned by the Human Rights Consortium Scotland (HRCS), calls on the next UK Government to urgently restore devolution to enable effective Scottish human rights law.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: Right to a healthy environment

NatureScot has just launched the next round of the Future Routes Fund!

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles, Violence against children

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has called for a ban on smacking children in England and Northern Ireland, highlighting the practice as unjust, dangerous, and harmful.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles

The Children’s Alliance Rights for England has partnered with UNICEF UK and the Equality and Human Rights Commission to publish three briefings to help parliamentarians and Civil Society organisations hold government to account to ensure the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s (UN Committee) latest Concluding Observations on the UK are taken forward.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, Violence against children

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, Ms. Mama Fatima Singhateh, is writing a report that will inform governments, organisations, companies and other stakeholders how they can make sure that children are protected in the digital environment from sexual abuse and exploitation. In order to write the report, she wants to hear from children and young people and organisations that work/support children and young people.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation

European Network of Ombudspersons for Children released its 2023 Annual Conference report titled "The Strength of Independent Children’s Rights Institutions: Upholding Children’s Rights in Europe.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has announced the cancellation of its May 2024 pre-session due to the UN liquidity crisis. The UN Committee has expressed its deep concern that the scheduled opportunities to consult with children have to be postponed. They are also very concerned that their engagement with representatives of civil society and UN Agencies have been removed from the calendar.

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles

In February, over 300 organisations sent a joint letter to UN representatives calling on them to  preserve onlineparticipation for UN human rights bodies and meetings (including those held by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child).

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: Incorporation, General measures of implementation

Together's response highlights the importance of clear guidance that is accessible for all duty bearers under the 2024 Act - including those in the private, voluntary and independent sector. 

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles

In a letter coordinated by the Human Rights Consortium, Together  joined civil society organisations and academics to urge the First Minister John Swinney to prioritise the introduction of the Human Rights Bill to the Scottish Parliament imminently and without delay.

Date: 14th May 2024
Category: Respect for the views of the child, Scotland-specific monitoring and reporting

Together is gathering ‘stories’ from babies, children and young people to inform our State of Children’s Rights Report 2024! We have launched a series of resources – including a facilitator pack, child-friendly leaflets and video – to support babies, children and young people to take part. Find our child-friendly survey seeking children and young people's stories here.

Date: 8th April 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, Incorporation, General principles

On the 26th of March, Together hosted a parliamentary event sponsored by Martin Whitfield MSP to celebrate the countdown to incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law, also to celebrate the recent launch of our new Strategic Plan for 2024-2032.