Date: 7th November 2018
Category: Child poverty

The Children’s Future Food Inquiry is gathering evidence, experience and/or case studies about children’s experiences of food and how it affects their lives in order to inform and shape its recommendations. The Inquiry will focus on children under 18 years old in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; and is spearheaded by a cross-party parliamentary group.

Date: 6th November 2018
Category: Awareness-raising, General measures of implementation, Respect for the views of the child

Together joined two of its members, Children's Parliament and the Scottish Youth Parliament, at Eurochild's 2018 Conference in Croatia. The conference took place from 29th-31st October 2018 and brought together practitioners, researchers, charities, children and young people from across Europe to discuss positive examples of children and young people being involved in decision-making.

Date: 19th October 2018
Category: Care Experienced children, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Who Cares? Scotland is inviting individuals and organisations to celebrate and participate in their new Care Experienced Week from the 22nd to 28th October.

Date: 19th October 2018
Category: Mental health, Health and health services, Education, including vocational education

The Mental Health Foundation has launched a new campaign ‘Making it Count’ in light of growing concerns that Scotland is to face a “child mental health crisis” if mental health continues to be “treated as extra-curricular” within schools. They state that children and young people are facing unprecedented pressures in their lives, which are contributing to mental health problems including anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders. Key facts highlighted in their campaign briefing include:

Date: 19th October 2018
Category: Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

The University of Edinburgh has launched a new Pathway Degree, the MSc Education (Early Childhood Practice and Froebel). The pathway is aimed at those who have an interest in early childhood education and would like to gain an advanced, critical understanding of Froebelian principles and other contemporary early years pedagogies.

Date: 19th October 2018
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms

Since its launch in February this year, the Young Scot 5Rights Youth Leadership Group has been investigating different aspects of the digital world – particularly around how young people can support each other around their digital rights, the role that businesses can play in realising young people’s rights, what cyber resilience means to young people, and how innovative technology can help young people exercise their rights in the digital world.

Date: 19th October 2018
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, General principles, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Scottish Government is looking to develop a Bill which aims to strengthen the existing legislative framework for protecting women and girls from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The Bill seeks to introduce protection orders for women and girls at risk, and place guidance for professionals on a statutory footing.

Date: 19th October 2018
Category: General measures of implementation

The Rights of the Child UK (ROCK) Annual Conference will be held in Cardiff on Wednesday 12th December 2018. The conference will explore how domestic law can be used to progress the UNCRC.

Date: 19th October 2018
Category: Other human rights treaties and mechanisms, Civil Rights and Freedoms

Together has supported a joint submission to the Joint Committee on Human Rights inquiry into the effectiveness of the Human Rights Act (1998).

Date: 19th October 2018
Category: General principles, Awareness-raising, Incorporation

As part of Children in Scotland’s 25th Anniversary ‘25 Calls’, Together has launched a call to action along with Children’s Parliament to make Scotland “a nation of Unfearties

Date: 9th October 2018
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles, Other human rights treaties and mechanisms

On the 28th September 2018, 17 children and young people from Scotland took part in the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child’s Day of General Discussion (DGD) on Children as Human Rights Defenders. The DGD brought children and young people together from all over the world and created a space for them to share their experiences and recommendations as Human Rights Defenders to key international decisions makers.

Date: 9th October 2018
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Other human rights treaties and mechanisms

A new Scottish Human Rights Defenders Fellowship has been launched, with the first three Fellows welcomed to Scotland.

Date: 9th October 2018
Category: Child poverty, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

A new report published by Eurostat on poverty reduction targets reveals that more than one in four children in the EU are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

Date: 9th October 2018
Category: Child poverty, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Policies & procedures

The Local Government and Communities Committee seeks views on the Fuel Poverty (Target, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Bill.  

Date: 25th September 2018
Category: Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Closing date: 23rd October 2018

Date: 21st September 2018
Category: Age of criminal responsibility

Juliet Harris, Director of Together, presented evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee on Thursday 20th September, on stage one of the Age of Criminal Responsibility Bill.

Date: 21st September 2018
Category: Other human rights treaties and mechanisms

Children and young people from across Scotland are preparing to travel to Geneva for the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s Day of General Discussion (DGD) which takes place on Friday 28th September 2018. The theme of the one-day event is ‘Children as Human Rights Defenders’.

Date: 21st September 2018
Category: Respect for the views of the child

100 children and young people took part in a special edition of First Minister’s Question Time in Glasgow on Wednesday 13th September 2018 titled ‘FMQT Next Generation’. As part of the Year of Young People 2018, the event sought to provide children and young people with the opportunity to ask questions to Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister for Scotland, and share their views on a range of issues. The hour-long programme was featured on STV’s ‘Scotland Tonight’ on Thursday 14th September and has since been made available to watch online.

Date: 21st September 2018
Category: Bullying

With Anti-Bullying Week taking place from the 13 - 16 November 2018, Respectme are inviting individuals and organisations to get involved with their #ChooseRespect campaign.

Date: 21st September 2018
Category: Age of criminal responsibility

The Equalities & Human Rights Committee at Scottish Parliament has launched a toolkit to gather the views of children and young people on the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill.