Date: 7th April 2016
Category: Children in situations of exploitation

If you consider that your organisation may potentially hold records which relate to matters covered by the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry's Terms of Reference, the Inquiry asks that you take immediate steps to preserve them, and to make them aware of the fact that you may hold relevant records, by no later than 31st May 2016.

Date: 30th March 2016
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Health and health services

NHS Health Scotland is undertaking a project to improve the information it provides to parents and carers. As part of this project they are seeking the views of parents and carers on some of the resources available during pregnancy and the toddler years.

Date: 30th March 2016
Category: Age of criminal responsibility

Together are a part of the Independent Advisory Group that has recently released its report on the minimum age of criminal responsibility in Scotland. The key recommendation is that the age of criminal responsibility should be raised from 8 to 12 years as soon as possible. A Scottish Government consultation is now open on whether to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12.

Date: 30th March 2016
Category: General measures of implementation, Scotland-specific monitoring and reporting

This consultation seeks views on the Children and Young People Act 2014 guidance for Part 1 (rights reporting) and Part 3 (Children's Services Planning).

Date: 29th March 2016
Category: Scotland-specific monitoring and reporting

The UK's UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) compliance will be examined formally at an oral session on 23 and 24 May 2016. The full Scottish Government response to the UNCRC List of Issues, setting out the actions taken in Scotland to protect and promote children's rights in the areas identified by the UNCRC has now been published.

Date: 29th March 2016
Category: Other human rights treaties and mechanisms

In 2015, Together gave written evidence to the European and External Relations Committee for its inquiry on the UK Government's proposals to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998. The Committee has now concluded its inquiry and has written to the UK Government with its key findings.

Date: 29th March 2016
Category: Age of criminal responsibility

Together are proud to be a part of the Independent Advisory Group that has released its report on the minimum age of criminal responsibility in Scotland. The key recommendation is that the age of criminal responsibility should be raised from 8 to 12 years as soon as possible.

Date: 29th March 2016
Category: Equal protection from violence

An updated version of Equally Safe, Scotland's Strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls in Scotland, was published on March 23rd.

Date: 29th March 2016
Category: Non-discrimination

The Race Equality Framework for Scotland was launched on 21st March 2016 to mark the UN Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Together welcomes this commitment from the Scottish Government to ensure the UNCRC is at the heart of the framework. The Race Equality Framework for Scotland sets out the Scottish Government's approach to promoting race equality and tackling racism and inequality between 2016 and 2030. The Framework is based on the priorities, needs and experiences of Scotland's minority ethnic communities, with expertise contributed by the public and voluntary sectors and academia to ensure that the Framework is practical and deliverable; and to create measurable progress on race equality.

Date: 29th March 2016
Category: General measures of implementation

The Commissioner has launched his Strategic Plan for the next four years. The Plan lays out the office's Strategic Aims for the 2016-20 period, as well as the key themes the office will work on.

Date: 29th March 2016
Category: Recreation, play and cultural activities

Play Scotland are asking organisations to recognise the importance of play in children's lives and to support Playday, the national day for play in the UK and Play on the Longest Day, which is held in Scotland to promote Playday within school settings as national Playday falls out with school term.

Date: 29th March 2016
Category: Other human rights treaties and mechanisms

Recently, the UK Chancellor set the 2016 Budget. Children in Scotland has produced a summary and analysis of the measures that are significant for the children's sector in Scotland.

Date: 29th March 2016
Category: Age of criminal responsibility

This report examines how childhood criminal records (those acquired before a person is 18 years old) are treated in 16 jurisdictions.

Date: 29th March 2016
Category: Best interests of the child, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

The UN Human Rights Council recently adopted a resolution on children's rights in relation to information technology.

Date: 16th March 2016
Category: UK 5th periodic review

As part of the current UK periodic review by the UN on implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the UK Government has responded to a List of Issues. This is a list of questions that the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child asks of UK governments in order to receive additional information to inform their review of the UK before an examination takes place later this year.

Date: 16th March 2016
Category: General measures of implementation

The European Commission has published its annual analysis of the economic and social challenges in the EU Member States; the so-called Country Reports. The reports are a tool to monitor policy reforms and to point to challenges that Member States should address.

Date: 14th March 2016
Category: Respect for the views of the child

On 12th March 2016, the Scottish Youth Parliament Launched Lead the Way at their 59th National Sitting in Galashiels. The Manifesto has received 72,744 consultation responses from young people all over Scotland, and provides the Scottish Youth Parliament with an incredible mandate to represent the views of young people.

Date: 9th March 2016
Category: General measures of implementation

A charity that gives legal help to children and young people in Scotland has intervened in the ongoing judicial review proceedings at the Supreme Court regarding Named Person provisions of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. The intervention called for the Supreme Court to redress the balance between the sharing of information and a child's right to privacy.

Date: 7th March 2016
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Reporting to and monitoring the UNCRC

The annual day of discussion on the rights of the child at the UN on 8th March 2016 focused on information and communications technology (ICTs) and child sexual exploitation, with States attempting to understand and deepen cooperation on the issue.

Date: 3rd March 2016
Category: General measures of implementation

On 3rd March 2016 the Jimmy Reid Foundation published a new policy paper on why Scotland must do better to respect, protect and fulfil human rights across devolved functions. The paper, written by Carole Ewart, recognises that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) has not been incorporated into Scots Law despite a recommendation to do so by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.