UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls visits the UK

Date: 12th March 2024
Category: Violence against children, General principles

The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Ms. Reem Alsalem, made a 10-day visit to the UK in February. During this visit she emphasized that it’s crucial for the UK Government and devolved administrations to take immediate action to eradicate all forms of violence against women and girls.

Read more

UN Committee requests information from Israel on children’s rights compliance

Date: 12th March 2024
Category: General principles, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Violence against children

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has issued an urgent request to Israel for additional information ahead of its forthcoming review of the country’s children’s rights record. The request for additional information is particularly in light of events since October 7, 2023. Israel is urged to provide updated information on various aspects concerning children's rights by June 15, 2024.

Read more

Draft statutory guidance on the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill

Date: 12th March 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles

Closing date: 16 th May 2024

Read more

New guidance on taking a children's human rights approach

Date: 9th February 2024
Category: General measures of implementation

This guidance from Scottish Government provides a brief summary of human rights, children’s rights and the UNCRC, it also raises awareness of the ambition for children’s human rights in Scotland and sets out the Scottish Government’s actions to implement the UNCRC to date. It provides information and resources to support you to take a children’s human rights approach to planning and delivery of services.

Read more

Young children's right to be heard on the quality of their education

Date: 9th February 2024
Category: Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

This article explores whether young children's right to be heard, especially regarding education quality, has experienced a form of 'rights inflation'—an expansion beyond the legal framework or an interpretation surpassing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) text.

Read more

Scottish Parliament to consult on Age of Marriage

Date: 9th February 2024
Category: General measures of implementation

The Scottish Government is actively reviewing the legal age of marriage following the recommendation from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child to prohibit marriages involving individuals under 18 in Scotland.

Read more

Northern Ireland governing bodies fail to consider children and young people’s rights in budget allocation

Date: 9th February 2024
Category: General measures of implementation

The Children’s Law Centre is challenging the Equality Commission over advice provided to relevant authorities in connection with the 2023-24 budget set by Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris. This budget, implemented in the absence of a Stormont Executive, involved significant cuts to education and school funding.

Read more

Participation of civil society organisations in UN treaty review processes at risk

Date: 9th February 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, Civil Rights and Freedoms

It is no longer mandatory for the UN to provide online participation for official UN meetings, including those held by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which will limit the direct participation of civil society organisations, children and young people in the UN Treaty Review process. The International Service for Human Rights has gathered over 220 signatures from civil society organisations including Together, endorsing a letter that advocates for ensuring live online mechanisms of participation are maintained.

Read more

Next General Comment to focus on children’s right to access justice and effective remedies

Date: 9th February 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, Special protection measures

During its 95th session in January 2024, the Committee on the Rights of the Child decided to draft a General Comment on children’s right to access to justice and effective remedies.

Read more

International Court of Justice makes judgement in South Africa v. Israel case

Date: 9th February 2024
Category: General measures of implementation

South Africa presented its case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The Order of 26 January 2024 by the International Court of Justice established that there is a real and imminent risk of irreparable damage to some of the rights asserted by South Africa and instructed Israel to prevent its military from committing acts which might be considered genocidal, to prevent and punish incitement to genocide, and to enable humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

Read more